I told Mark to meet me at Lou's after school.  I was in the hotel having a cup of coffee and talking to Lou when Mark came rushing in, he couldn't wait to tell me that he had gotten an A+ on his composition at school.  I was very proud of him and left him know it.  He couldn't wait for me to read it.  "The Most Amazing Man I ever met," was the title of his composition.  As I started to read the title I couldn't help but think it might be about me and how proud I would be if it was.  But as I read on I knew it wasn't.  "Who made it safe to carry the mail in Montana? Who brought in the Bolton gang single handed? Who killed two rattle snakes with just one shell?"  I had to pause for a moment, with a sly little laugh, but Mark was eager for me to continue, he said I hadn't gotten to the best part.  "Who all by himself faced a band of Cherakowa? Who....."  Mark grabbed my arm, he couldn't believe his eyes.  "Who's that?" I asked. "Wade Randall, 'The Most Amazing Man' I ever met!" Said Mark.      

I told Mark we better head for home.  By the time we got to the front of the hotel there was a crowd gathered around Wade Randall and he was telling the everybody all about his run in with the Bolton gang and how they left him tied to a tree stump with no guns, no boots,  no hat and how they left him to die.  I gotta give it to him; he sure was a great story teller.  The crowd, including Mark was enthralled by his stories.  As he was finishing his story a stranger entered the crowd, his name was Lovett.  He asked Wade if he had killed many men.  "Randall's the name, Wade Randall, just bad men mister," he answered.  He told the crowd he worked for the railroad doing random assignments, mainly scout and trouble shooter. He said he was a surveyor, purveyor and for now he was taking a few weeks off to rest up in North Fork.  "Would you tell us about Red Morgan Mr. Randall?" Asked Mark.  He said that he ran into Red Morgan around Serpent Bend Montana.  He said Red Morgan didn't care for him because he had heard that Randall was as fast as he was.  He said he saw him cheating at cards one night and when he called Red on it, they ended up in the street.  He ended up shooting Red right thru the heart.  "So you're the one who killed Red Morgan.....huh?" Asked Lovett.  "That's correct sir!" Said Randall.  "Well that should make you as good as you've been saying, since Morgan was the fastest gun with in a thousand miles," said Lovett.  Randall told him he appreciated the compliment.  Lovett then pushed his way thru the crowd.  "It's no compliment!" Said Lovett.  "Morgan was killed in Serpent Bend alright, but not in town. The way I heard it they found him three miles out.....with a bullet in his back!"  "That makes you a liar and a murdering coward!"  Randall told him he must have heard it wrong, that it happened just like he said.  He told Randall that Morgan was his friend and he swore one day he would avenge his murderer.  "You shot him in the back.....and tomorrow I'm going to shoot you in the front!" Said Lovett.  Micah told Lovett he didn't like that kind of talk.  Lovett told Micah he couldn't stop a fair fight.  Lovett told Randall he'd meet him in town tomorrow at eight in the morning.  As Lovett walked away Randall yelled to him....."Wade Randall will be there!"

  We were having dinner that evening with Lou in the hotel when Wade Randall entered the dining area.  Mark asked if he could invite him to join us for supper.  I told him he could but not to ask too many questions.  Wade accepted Marks invitation.  I asked Wade if he wanted a drink, but he said he never drinks before a challenge.  Mark told Wade he was sorry this had to happen in North Fork.  Wade told him it could have happened anywhere and that killing a man is bad, and according to the good book, when you kill a man you kill a little of yourself.  I knew that too well, I had to agree with him.  Lou told Wade about Mark's composition and that Mark had wrote about him.  Mark asked him if he would like to read it and Wade said he would.  He was pleased, no one ever wrote anything about him before.  But before he got to read it Lovett came into the dining room and interrupted our supper.  He wanted to pay Lou for his room and said that he wouldn't be staying for the funeral in the morning.  After Lovett left I could see Wade was nervous.  He asked to be excused.  He hadn't had a chance to read Mark's composition so he took it with him.  Mark was sure Wade could take Lovett, he was so sure that he wanted to get him a medal to give to him.  I told Mark he should do it now. 

Lou knew something was up and after Mark left she asked me about it.  I asked her if she saw how Wade's hands were shaking.  She said she too had thought he was afraid.  We then went about our supper when Lovett came over to our table again.  This time he asked Lou if she would mind if he slept in the lobby.  He told her the reason was he didn't want Wade to run out on him.  I told Lou I thought I should go and tell Wade.

When Wade invited me into his room I couldn't help noticing his bags were on the bed packed and a bottle on the table.  He was running scared.  He told me he had just received a rushed telegram and that he had to leave.  "Lovett's sitting down in the lobby. He said he's going to wait there for you all night," I said.  I asked him if he killed Red Morgan.  He told me he had never even seen him.  He figured with him coming from another part of the country that he could say about anything he wanted to and no one would doubt him.  I asked him if he had ever been in a real gunfight before.  He said his name wasn't Wade Randall, it was Orley Fudd.  He was a cook for the railroad and they call him Cookie.  He hated being called that name, that's why he came to North Fork, to get away from it. 

We both knew he didn't have a chance.  I told him I would get Lou to get Lovett into a conversation and I'd get a ladder and put it up at the window and then we can get him out of the hotel and that Lovett wouldn't know until morning.  Wade never intended for it to go this far and he didn't want to face Lovett.  He didn't want to bleed to death on a street in North Fork.  I told him he didn't have to explain and I'd get the ladder.  He said he couldn't run, he liked being Wade Randall, he didn't want to go back to being called Cookie again, being laughed at and being alone again.  I told him he might not feel that way in the morning and then it would be too late.  He said he couldn't run now, if he did he'd never sleep in peace again.  He then handed me Mark's composition and told me to tell him he said thanks.  I couldn't help but think Mark's paper had something to do with Wade changing his mind about running and also Lovett sleeping in the lobby had something to do with it too.

That evening Mark and I were setting by the fire talking.  I could tell Mark had something on his mind.  He wanted to give Wade his medal in person, but I told him he had to leave it at the desk.  I told him Wade didn't want to be disturbed and that Wade gave me his composition back and to tell him thanks.  "Mark.....what is there about Wade that made you write this composition?"  "Pa.....I know he exaggerates a little, but that doesn't matter, he's not like other men, he's sorta free and easy like a mocking bird and he carries a coat of right and wrong inside of him. I guess that's why he's so brave and cheerful."  "Suppose I told you he wasn't so brave or cheerful," I said to Mark.  Mark told me he too had seen Wade's hands shaking, and knowing he was fighting for his life, that's being brave and hopeless.  I agreed.  Mark then said goodnight and went to bed.  I looked at Marks composition again and just sat there thinking.

I decided to go into town and talk to Lovett.  I asked him....."What 'if' Wade didn't kill Morgan?"  He wanted to hear it from him in front of the whole town, and then he might let him off.  "But then.....what if Wade did kill Morgan?"  Lovett laugh and said he didn't believe it.  I went to see Wade again and try and talk some sense into him.  He was drunk.  He said nothing I said would change his mind.....he wasn't running.  I then took a pitcher of water and poured it over his head and told him he was to start thinking clear, that we had a lot to do before morning.  I had a plan and we had to go over it before I set everything up.

That morning Mark came into town looking for me.  Lou told him that I had some things to do and he was to go ahead and have breakfast without me.  He noticed the medal he left for Wade was still in his hotel box waiting to be picked up.  Just then Wade came down the steps.  He was in really good spirits and started for the dining room to have breakfast with Mark tailing behind him.  Just then Lovett was coming out of the dining room.  They exchanged glares at each other, not saying a word to each other, and then Lovett walked away.  Mark then gave Wade his medal.  Wade was surprised.  The medal read....."To Wade Randall, with admiration and respect, Mark McCain."  He thanked Mark and told him he would do his best to honor it.  Mark then asked Wade if he and I could join him for breakfast.  Wade said he would be delighted.  Micah then came in with the shells Wade had order and Wade invited him to breakfast too. 

In the mean time I was out setting up quite a display for Lovett with the help of the town folks.  First I went to the Hardware Store, then the Assayer's Office, and then the Cattlemen's Association. 

It was close to eight o'clock and Wade and Mark were heading out front.  Micah was already there.  Micah told them he wanted this done the old fashion way, back to back, fifteen paces, turn and fire.  They stood there back to back as Micah started to count.  When Micah got to fourteen Wade yelled....."Hold it!"  "There's something I have to tell you Lovett," Yelled Wade.  "Why you lily liver frog, there's nothing to tell!" Yelled Lovett.  "Ah but there is! It's only fair for me to tell you that my prowess with a gun is legendary," said Wade.  "If your backing out.....then say so, loud and clear, in front of everybody!" Yelled Lovett.  Wade told Lovett he was a great marksmen he was, probably the greatest the world had ever know.  "I can shoot a single leaf from a tree, I can split a bullet on an upraised saber, I can create fire where there is no fire and once created it, I can put it out."  Lovett didn't want to hear anymore talk; he wanted to get on with the gunfight.  "Marshal.....do you mind if I demonstrate?" Asked Wade.  Micah nodded in acceptance. 

I was ready to put our plan in motion, I signaled to Micah.  Just then Wade said....."Let there be some fire," as he shot at a match the owner of Hardware Store was holding, who was getting ready to light a cigarette with the match.  The match lit and the man dropped it into a box full of straw, it caught on fire.  "Let there be some transportation!" Yelled Wade as he shot the board out from under the wooden box with the straw in it.  The box then slid down a board.  "Now what should I do Mr. Lovett? Shall I summons up the fire brigade?"  Wade then shot at the bell several times that told the town there was a fire.  "There's no time you say? Mr. Lovett.....what shall I do? Shall I create the miracle of rain?" Asked Wade.  "Then let there be deliverance! Water come forth!"  Wade then shot three holes in the large barrel of water over the burning straw.  He had put the fire out.  "And man.....let there be jubilation." With that he shot at the flag hanging in front of the Cattlemen's Association and the flag unrolled, opening up.  Wade sure gave a mighty fine exhibition.  That was enough for Lovett, he couldn't believe his eyes.  He turned and ran to his horse and then rode out of town as fast as he could.  The crowd rushed over to Wade and congratulated him. 

Wade thanked the town for their kindness and their indulgence.  He said they had taught him a great lesson.  "It taught me that where violence is discussed.....there violence will grow.....so on this day.....Wade Randall.....probably the most amazing marksmen the world has ever known.....is hanging up his guns. Never to shoot again."  He then donated his guns to the North Fork Museum and said if we didn't have one, then we'd start one!  He then handed his guns to Micah. 

Mark and I approached Wade.  "That sure was amazing, Mr. Randall," said Mark.  "You'll never know the half of it my boy."  "Mr. McCain.....your a friend worth having," said Wade as we shook hands.  "If you ever get into any trouble and need any help let me know, huh?" Said Wade.  He then took my blanks out of his pocket and handed them to me and then walked away.  Mark was puzzled.  "Blanks?" Asked Mark.  "He's 'The Most Amazing Man' I meant too!" I said to Mark.