Three strangers rode into town.  They thought the town to be easy pickings, just waitin' to be took.  While they were looking things over a fight broke out between Mark and Jeff Barrows.  Micah came out of his office to stop the fight.  "Here now, hold up, hold up now."  He grabbed the boys by the arms and said to Mark, "you don't take much pride on the name of McCain.  I ought to lock you both up for breaking the peace, second time this week," said Micah.  Mark didn't like Jeff saying things about his Pa. Micah scolded the boys and sent them home.  Micah called to Jeff.  "Fighting Mark won't get you anything."  "Yeah, just cause his old man's Lucas McCain," said Jeff as he ran off.  Doke said to Sully Hobbs, "Who did you say was the head man around here?"  "McCain, Lucas McCain."  Micah was headed for his office when Sully said to Micah, "that kids got a pretty big chip on his shoulder."  He told the cowboys that it was because of the boys father, Sam Barrows.  That the boy wishes his Pa was like Lucas McCain.  "McCain something special around here?" He asked.  "Lucas McCain's as good as we got around here," said Micah and went into his office.  "Yes sir, McCain's a real big buffalo," said Sully, with a gesture of thumbs up. 

"But Pa, it's not my fault, I didn't start it."  Mark reminded me what I had told him.  Yes, I remembered, never look for trouble and never walk away from it.  I was a little upset with his torn shirt.  I reminded the boy that they don't grow on fence posts.  I knew he couldn't avoid it, remembering when I was his age I had ripped up a few shirts myself.  I told him, the best thing for him to do was to stay clear of Jeff.  "I do Pa,  but it's Jeff that won't leave me alone.  He's been gettin' pure mean and hateful.  He's always crowded him to fight.  What makes him do that, Pa?"  Mark didn't understand, he thought it might be because we wouldn't let his Pa cut his hair.  I had to laugh.  If that was the case he'd be fightin' half the kids in town.  He keeps telling Mark that he is no better then him.  It's like he's jealous, or something.  Once Mark got to thinkin' on it, he thought maybe it was Jeff's Pa.  He wondered what made Mr. Barrows like that.  I tried explaining to the boy that everybody in this life looks for something, and everybody looks in a different place.  "Mr. Barrows just looks in a bottle," said Mark.   

When Jeff got home his father was already drinking.  He told his Pa that he had customers.  "I'm gonna lick that Mark McCain someday."  His Pa told him that it wouldn't make any difference, it wouldn't make Jeff as good as Mark or he as good as I. "Your nothing boy, cause I'm nothing.  We're just nothing folks, that's what we are."  Jeff again reminded his Pa about the customers.  Sully told Sam he saw his boy takin' a beating from the McCain boy.  He told Barrows that it was McCain's fault.  That Sam was going to show Lucas just how big he was.  Sully wanted Barrows to stand up to McCain.  They intimidated him and made him aware they were in charge.  They left him no choice, it was McCain or them.  Sully then shoved the shaving brush with cream on it in his face.  Barrows said he couldn't stand up to McCain.  With that Sully got the razor and put it near his throat. He got their point.  Jeff was listening to what they had been said and after they left he came out of the other room & told his Pa, that the man was right, that he was every bit as good as Lucas McCain.

"I wish I could have a store bought-in' haircut," said Mark. I told him if he could pay for it he was welcome to.  Maybe he should plant some extra beans to sell.  Just then I heard a noise on the porch.  It was Sam Barrow's.  He had come to talk to me.  "Hey, ain't that a bit out of your line," Sam said when he saw I was getting ready to cut Mark's hair.  "Isn't night riding a bit out of your line?"  I said.  He told Mark that I should bring him into the barber shop.  Mark told him he couldn't afford it.  He told Mark he'd be glad to do him the favor.  I told Sam we pay our own way.  Men don't always pay in cash, Sam said, maybe I could do him a favor.  He wanted to talk to me, he had a favor to ask.  I told him that I didn't keep things from the boy.  He wanted my help.  He told me how things were between him and his boy.  Not good with them.  Ever since the boys Ma was taken, Sam just couldn't think of anything else.  "I guess you know how I am, Jeff knows too," said Sam.  His boy thinks he's nothing, never was.  He sees him looking and hoping.  He had a plan and wanted my help.  He wanted to be able to confront me in front of Jeff when I came into town.   That I have been putting Mark up to fighting with him and that if it didn't stop he'd go gunning for me.  He would say it right out mean & loud.  He wanted me to back away.  He said it meant more to him then I knew.  I told him I couldn't play act like that.  People would think that we're loco.  He wanted me to back down just this once.  I told him I just couldn't do that.  I then told him I was sorry.  Without a word he left.  Mark turned and said to me "I knew you couldn't Pa.  What about my haircut?"  Tomorrow.  I told Mark that he could stay out of school tomorrow and give Jeff a chance to cool off.  I told him he could go into town with me tomorrow.  "Town," said Mark.  "You want a store bought hair cut don't ya'?"

"Pa, Lucas McCains here, he just rode in.  Right out there in the street Pa," said Jeff.  Sully walked over and handed Sam his gun & holster.  He wanted another drink, but Sully told him he had enough. 

Micah was standing outside his office.  I stopped to talk to him.  "Well is that all you've got to do today, don't you have any work to do?"  "I am working," said Micah, looking over at the two cowboys setting outside the barber shop.  He told me they came in yesterday and there was another one inside.  No trouble, just keeping an eye on 'em.  "That's where we're headed.  Gonna get Mark's haircut"  "I thought you cut Mark's hair?"  Asked Micah.  "I do."  I got down off the buggy and started towards the barber shop when Sam came out.  He told me to stay where I was.  "Mark's lookin' to get a haircut, Sam."   "Not here.  I ain't cuttin' no McCain hair.  Once more I ain't got no taste for lookin' at cha.'  So you better keep yourself off the street.  I'm giving you ten minutes McCain.  When I come out there better be just one of us here."  He then turned slightly and looked to the three men that's been hanging around his shop.  I stood there and studied the situation a bit.  I decided I would back down.  There was something not right about all of this.  I motioned to Mark and we headed for the wagon and rode off without a word.  Mark was puzzled.  Micah too. 

After Jeff went to bed, Sam was going to head out to my place when Sully stopped him.  He seemed to know what Sam was up to.  Sam told him that I was his friend.  "Nobody's a friend when he's dead," said Sully.  "Dead."  "Gonna be when he comes to town.  Unless you stop him & get yourself killed.  That's how it is barber, either you or him," said Sully.  "Why, what's McCain done to you?  What are you looking for, what do you want?"  "Didn't I told cha', I want the town?  McCains gonna give it to me, he's gonna give it to us.  Your gonna be top dog around here.  Ahhhhh, that boy of yourn is gonna be bustin' out proud.  Yeah, he's gonna be proud of his Pa.  Now did you say you were going somewhere?"  Asked Sully.  Shaking his head, no, "I'm not goin' nowhere," said Sam.  "That's what I thought," said Sully.  Sam went back into his place.

Mark was upset.  He was restless and couldn't sleep.  We needed to talk.  "I've been thinking." said Mark.  I lit the lamp and told him that you can't always see things straight in the dark.  He was concerned what people would think of me backing away from Sam.  "The way I figure it son, is my friends will understand and the others don't count.  Sometimes, it's harder to back away, son."  Mark questioned me about being a better shot then Sam.  "Sam's not much of a hand with a gun."  He figured that's why I backed away.  "It wasn't because of the three other men?"  Asked Mark.  When I told him it wasn't on account of the others, a big smile came over his face, a smile and a look of relief.  I didn't know how these men figured in, but I was sure gonna find out.  "You got school tomorrow, you better get some sleep."  After our talk, Mark & I both felt better.

Micah went over to Sam's to get a shave and maybe even get to talk to Sam.  He told him that he could talk to me, that I was a reasonable person.  In a low voice he asked Sam if he was in some kind of trouble.  He asked him if he needed any help.  "Ain't nobody can help," said Sam.  He reminded Sam that I had a lot of friends.  Sully interrupted by saying, "ain't you forgettin' something Marshal, I got friends to.  Micah looked over at Sully and said, "not the number, nor the quality."  Micah was just getting ready to leave the barber shop when I rode into town. Sully walked over to Sam and said, "there he is barber, right where he don't belong.  I'll reckin' you'll fix that quick enough."  Sam knew he couldn't draw against me.  He knew there was no chance.  Sully told him that they were going to kill me anyway, first me and then the Marshal.  Sam would just make it legal. He was 'The Patsy.'  Sully knew I wouldn't draw on Sam unless I had to.  He wanted Sam to draw first.  Same knew he didn't stand a chance.  Sully assured him they would have three guns on me already.  Sam turned and said to Sully, "Why that's murder, you say it so easy, and it's murder."  First me, then Micah and if he didn't do as he said he would be next, maybe his boy.  Sully went out and gave the signal for the Doke and Lafe to get into position. 

Micah and I had a talk, there was no doubt that those three cowboys was using Sam to get to me.  I didn't want folks thinkin' because Sam could make me back down that, there might be others itching just to try me out.  Just then Mark came running into Micah's office.  He and Jeff had another fight.  "I'm sorry, said Mark, I tried to walk away, but sometimes it just don't work."  I knew what he was saying, I was getting backed into a corner myself.  The lesson my son was learning, was now a lesson I was learning myself.

Jeff went running home to tell his Pa that he just licked Mark.  He saw him buckling on his gun and said, "Wow, I gotta see this."  Sam made him go get cleaned up.  Didn't want him to watch. 

"I guess I was wrong Micah, you can't back off from these problems.  I'm gonna have a talk with Sam."  I started to head for the barber shop, Sully came out and then Sam.  I noticed Sam had his gun on.  I hollered to Sam, to hold up, I wanted to talk to him.  He kept coming towards me.  I hollered again to him, "it's not the kids Sam, it's us."  He still kept coming towards me.  "Sam, don't do anything foolish."  I got my rifle ready, he still kept coming at me.  He got up close to me, "Lucas, Lucas, there gonna kill you, said Sam."  Sully knew something went wrong, he shot Sam in the shoulder and I shot Sully.  The other two came out from along side of a building shooting.  I got them too.  I told Mark to get the doctor.  Jeff came running to his Pa crying, "Pa, Pa, I just wanted you to be somebody, but I don't care.  Pa, I....."  "It's ok..... your Pa is somebody."  I said to Jeff.