Brannon looked at Hank Maguire. ``And you? What would you do in my place?''

Hank shook his head. ``I don't know, Tom. Like Luis, I cann't see something like this happening to me. With Maria and me, there's never any problem. Where I go, she goes -- and the kids with us. You're going to need your woman. And the boy will need his mother. If you take the one, you'd better take both.''

Brannon shook his head. ``I wonn't force Beth to come against her will. But I'm going to have my son.''

They were silent for a little while, each looking glum.

Finally Luis Hernandez said, ``What must be, must be. I am with you, of course, Tomas.''

And Hank Maguire added, ``So am I, Tom.''

``All right,'' Brannon said, rising. ``We'll ride out as soon as we've had chuck.''

Brannon timed it so that they rode in an hour after nightfall. They had for cover both darkness and a summer storm. During much of the fifteen mile ride they had watched a lurid display of lightning in the sky to the east. Later, they'd heard the rumble of thunder and then, just outside Rockfork, they ran into rain. Those who had slickers donned them. The others put on old coats or ducking jackets, whichever they carried behind their saddle cantles.

There were seven of them, enough for a show of strength -- to run a bluff. It was to be nothing more than that. There was to be no gunplay. If the bluff failed and they ran into trouble, Brannon had told the others, they would withdraw -- and he would come after his son another time. He didn't want to put himself outside the law.