“You can’t lament fools for making foolish choices. That would burden them with the expectation of being better. Something I would wish upon no on,” Clint said. He spat a noxious black stream of tobacco onto the trail. “Don’t go looking to right their wrongs, boyo. They’ll just drag you into the deep with them.”

The young man squinted from under his hat and gave a small nod. “I’ll do that, old man.”

“Heh, sure you will. Now giddy up, we gotta make Albee by sundown,” Clint said kicking his horse to life.