This mere boy in a big-rimmed hat, with a heavy cap-and-ball pistol dragging at his pants, had to have a drink of hard liquor, and while so doing ran afoul of an Arkansas gunslinger from Horn Hill. He beat Wes to the draw, but Wes was the better shot, and the gun-slinger died with a look of agonized dismay on his face. Then young Hardin had to unlimber on a circus roustabout, outdraw, and kill him. At Kosse, another hothead just asked to be cut down. Then in Waco, Wes became conscious of this special gift and outdraw another gunman. Then the law had him good, but Hardin escaped from jail, killing Deputy Jim Smolly.

Talent indeed. Down the road to hell. With eight men dead, with nicer clothes on his broad shoulders, he cut a fine figure, gunbelt and all.