enemies to reconsider their position, and the so-called Dodge City War was resolved without a shot being fired.

"So, is this it, then?" Bat said, slapping me on my left shoulder, which made me wince a bit. The shoulder was still sensitive from the bullet wound four years before. As good as Dr. Hellweg was, I was convinced a tiny fragment of the .44 slug he removed was still in there somewhere.

"Sorry, I forgot about that bean you have in your wing," Bat said, settling into a chair at one end of a brown leather couch. "Here, take a load off." He motioned to the couch.

"This is it," I said as I sat down on the couch. "I am headed for the Orient." "Goddamn if that isn't a shocker. How'd you manage to convince your ma and the McNabs? Why,...

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