I walked into CC’s Billiard Parlor where there were two tables with men playing. At a small round table toward the back and against the wall I saw the stranger I was looking for. Approaching him, “I heard you’ve been lookin’ for me?” I inquired. He was drinking beer and looked confused when I spoke to him.“Sheriff Gold said you were askin’ about me,” I said again.Slowly he lowered the glass of beer to the table, his face turning serious and taut. “Are you Forrest?”“I am,” came my curt reply. I placed my thumbs inside my gunbelt so he could see I wasn’t a threat. From what I could gather I didn’t think he was after me or a threat to me either. Of course, I’ve been wrong before. “What is it I can help you with?”He was appraising me, looking closely at the badge I was wearing. “I was told you could help me locate a certain individual,” he remarked.“First, tell me who you are, and what you want,” I demanded. “Then I’ll hear your questions.”He frowned slightly. “Impertinent and to the point aren’t you? I’m Sly Malone,” he said, reaching his hand out over the table. I stayed as I was and in a few seconds he dropped his hand. “Not a friendly sort either,” he muttered.“Who said I could help you? Help you with what?”“I’m getting to that. People have said that you know most everyone in town, and I’m looking for a certain individual by the name of Clyde Hoffner,” he informed me.My attention was now completely focused on him since he was asking about Clyde. “I try to get to know most folk in town. What do you want with Clyde?”He smiled as he reached for his shirt pocket bringing out a folded piece of paper. It was a wanted poster. “He’s wanted back in Illinois for arson and attempted murder.”Taking the poster from his hand I perused it carefully. I handed it back to the man. “This is not issued by the State of Illinois,” I paused, “It appears to be a vendetta against Clyde for some reason. Mind tellin’ me who issued the poster?”“Doesn’t matter who issued the poster, he’s still wanted. It seems that Mr. Swithart chased him off as he didn’t want this Hoffner fellow seeing his daughter. A couple of days later, his barn was burned to the ground, and his house partially burned with the family inside. Hoffner disappeared at the same time.”“That’s not much evidence,” I replied.An insidious sneer appeared, “It’s enough for Mr. Swithart to offer a reward of $500 for him.”People like this, bounty hunters in general, jerk my jaws. “It’s not a valid poster. Besides I don’t know where he is.”“Do you deny that he was working for Cecil Thompson?“No, in fact, that’s the last place I knew where he was. If he’s gone I don’t have an idea where, and with that bogus poster I wouldn’t tell you anyway.”There were several moments of tension. He was angry, but not threatening, then he spoke, “I’ll find him. Good day, Marshal.”Since I was dismissed, I turned and left waving at Casey Cameron the proprietor who was putting up pool cues. Leaving the billiard parlor I headed on up toward the church and the Chapman residence. Clyde was a cousin to the preacher and helped him move to town. I wanted to see if he knew anything about this supposed fire.Knocking on the door, Betty Chapman answered. I must have caught her at a bad time. She was wearing a scarf and when she opened the door she was trying to push strands of her hair underneath it. She was wearing an old dress with a well-worn apron over it. “Oh, Marshal Forrest, oh, please forgive me for the way I look. I was doing some cleaning and wasn’t expecting company.”I smiled, “I reckon minister’s wives sometimes have to clean the house. I’m sorry to have caught you at an inopportune moment, but I would like to speak to the parson.”She smiled, still working at her hair. “I’ll get him, and put on some coffee. Please sit down.” She already knew my weakness.Shortly thereafter, Rev. Chapman came into the room. He had a smile for me and I stood to greet him. “Miles, it’s always good to see you. Betty said you had something to ask me.”I shook his hand and we both sat down. The coffee must have already been made, for as we sat Betty came in with two cups. She handed one to each of us then sat next to her husband. I noticed that she had removed the apron.“Parson, there’s a man in town lookin’ for Clyde.” His eyes narrowed and he set the cup down on the table next to the little couch. “He has a wanted poster on Clyde.”“Why is that ridiculous!” exclaimed Betty.Her husband put his hand on her knee to settle her. “What does the poster say?” he inquired.“Arson and attempted murder.”He was shaking his head. Clyde helped us move, and I don’t know of anything he would have done to bring those charges. Did this man who had the posters say anything else?”I was ready to respond when the door burst open…