The annual gunslingers meeting was held in Deadwood. There was no law in Deadwood to bother them. The gunslingers were important to the economy of Deadwood. Without them, it was just a general store for the outlying ranches, a saloon for the cowboys and a stage depot.

The old-timers would sit on one side and the young guns on the other. The young guns were afraid of the older gunfighters. The young guns wanted some new rules. One of them shouted this out. The old-timers were surprised that a young gun had said anything.

Johnny Ringo stood up and asked the young guns, “Like what kind of new rules?”

The old guys started laughing at this one. Johnny Ringo didn’t have any rules. If they had rules he still wouldn’t have any. When he got challenged he’d tell the guy to go on out. Ringo would walk down into the street with his gun cocked and half drawn. He draw and shoot. Then he take the guys wallet, boots and gun. It’s how he made his living when he wasn’t killing for hire. Rules.

Wes Hardin snorted. He once shot a man for snoring. His idea of a fair gunfight was to invite a guy out, hold the door for him and shot him as he went through. He didn’t rob the guy because, “I don’ rob deaduns”. If Ringo was around, Ringo would rob the body and split with Hardin. Hardin didn’t mind that.

Jesse James shot the finger off a fat man to get his ring. The ring was a fake. Jess was so angry he wanted to go into town and shoot the rest of the fat man. His brother, Frank, told him that wouldn’t be a good idea.

“What? How hard is it gonna be to find a fat man with a missing finger?”, Jess asked.

“No harder than hanging you from the nearest tree”, Frank answered.

Wild Bill Hitchcock, for all his reputation, had only shot one man. That turned out to be his deputy.

“Well, he startled me. Dead is still dead”.