Its mate lay in the open box on the bed at his side, along with the cased pair’s accessories. Working with smooth precision, he rammed the charge and its wad down the barrel then followed it with the rest of the load. He had already attended to the other barrel, so he fitted the percussion caps in place and set the hammers at half-cock. For a moment he sat looking at the second pistol, then decided not to bother with it. Hearing a knock on the door, he crossed the room and opened it. ‘Howdy,’ greeted Kenny Schell, entering. ‘Ma says for you to come over and have breakfast with us.’ ‘That’s kind of her,’ Colin said, and meant it. ‘How did you know where to find me?’ ‘Met the Kid going out,’ Kenny explained. ‘He told me that he’d changed rooms with you last night.’ ‘So he did, although I’d never have thought a man like him would be superstitious.’ With the departure of Branch and his men from the Black Bear, Colin had spent a pleasant evening at the saloon.
