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Walter slowed the horse to a halt.

A crowd of rough-looking men surrounded his father’s bank. What was going on?

He slid to the ground.

The nearby alley provided shelter as he crept toward the action. The young husky rubbed himself against his leg, whining, and searching for attention.

“Go on,” Walter whispered, attempting to send the dog on its way without success.

A mist of gently falling snow obstructed visibility but not enough to disguise the battered wagon parked in front of the bank. Rough-looking figures scurried around it, obviously preparing to leave.

The dog growled and then began nibbling on Walter’s ankles.

“Go on, get!” Walter snapped as he batted at the playful fur ball at his feet.

His eyes searched the gang of outlaws for the familiar form of Selena, hoping that he wouldn’t find it.

“That’s all of it boys! Let’s get out of here!” Prompted by this shout, the gang ran to mount their horses.

“Hold it!” Walter charged from his hiding place and fired his revolver into the air.

The men before him froze but only for a second.

The sound of a gunshot whipped through the cold winter air.

Walter’s hat was flung from his head as it absorbed the wallop from a bullet. Prompted by this assault, he ran back toward the shelter that he had so foolishly left.

The sight of Selena on a horse behind one of the outlaws caught his attention.

He paused his escape.

Even as he absorbed the sight of this betrayal, another shot rang out. His body buckled, slamming into the ground. Pain briefly flickered in his senses and then everything went black.