There are a lot of things that I really like about this story so far (the Western 'feel' is very well done, and that Felix is an actually believable antagonist kinda blows my socks off), and a much less significant list of things that bother me (you/your/you're, there/their/they're, and "allot" should be "a lot"). Your biggest problem, though, is that five month mark swiftly approaching. With a cliffhanger of that magnitude, that's just plain cruel!

-John

this is a good story. wevery see the movie open range with robert duvall and kevin costner. good gun fights and good movie. story reminds of a few scenes of the movie cant wait for you to update.

Dude, reading this, is almost like reading a Clint Eastwood movie. When will you update?

Wow, this is a really good story.
fairly accurate, although I pictured Wil Du as more of a Pinkerton dectetive rather than a U.S. Marshal.
You should be quite proud of this, and I look forward to your next chapter.

Okay, first off, EVIL place to end it. Always good to see evil perpetrated... except when it's against me. lol

I like how you built up the characters here, including their interactions with each other regarding the duel. It set the scene perfectly, especially to show that there is no right or wrong in the characters, only views.

Eagerly awaiting more!

whats takeing you so long. update soon please. how does james react now that he know kim and ron kissed.

good story. well written. love how you resembley old western movies. the man with no name, querky down under and so on. what hapens next. was kim who stole the notes, does she find her half of the arrowhead. does ron reunite with his sister. can't wait for the next chapters.

Where did you get the name Seth Beechum from?
Did you make that up, or do you know someone by that name.
Never seen that name before. Seth of course, not Beechum.

how does this gun duel end. do their bullets meet each other and smash together. or does ron lame felixs other leg. love to know how this story goes on and if kim finds her half arrow head update soon

Awesome update, can't wait to see the climactic shootout.

good story. it does seem to be dragging out though. cant wait to see what happens next

I'm a little confused. Didn't Felix already acknowledge in previous chapters that Ron had been doing good things and deeds? I seem to remember a bit of the story where he was questioning a girl Ron had helped, and was thining about how common the girls story of Ron's heroism was. But in this chapter, it is like he never heard those stories?

awesome dude, just hope u can update it as soon as possible

ARGH!
I NEED to know what's going to happen next! Please update SOON!

This...is a gift from Heaven. Thank you, yvj.
Now, let's not waste any more time. Lemme see what quality-quantity work you've done here...

Four years, huh?
Which means that Murdoch died not long before Ron started journeying to MiddleWood...

That's right. The only thing that's wrong is that there is nothing wrong...

Know the terrain; I see Murdoch has taught this to him too.

Murdoch sure dosen't mince his words. I won't be surprised if he's got Balkan blood in him...

Man, where do you get this stuff from, yvj? Not only is this a phenominal story, but readers can actually learn some tips about combat from this...

So Murdoch has a mustache, eh?
Sorry. I have a tendency to notice little things like that...

Now THAT-is a hell of a tutor.
Timothy Murdoch may or may not be mad, but one thing's for sure; the guy dosen't give a damn about his own life...

Heheheh...whatever else he is, the Ron-ster's still a great cook...

So he knows the weather too...this guy Murdoch is amazing. He isn't just a fast drawer. Ron couldn't have asked for a better mentor...

Oh my God...he shot first.
Ron shot first.
That's unbelievable...
The student has surpassed the teacher...Murdoch did his job well.

It's amazing what love can do to a person. Especially if the person they loved is dead. It could drive a man to do things that he'd never thought he'd do...

The Bigsby Ranch Wars?

He's visiting a guy who had promised to kill him, and all he could think of was wishing he'd not visited so early?
Typical...Ron is still the same as ever...

Man, Ron's developed quite a reputation all over the States for himself...

He's talking about chocolate to his would-be killer...

Driedel!?

I see Murdoch taught the art of observation to Ron well...

A cold anger, eh? Not burning, not raging. Just building up, towards something that has to be.
I think I know where you got this from, yvj...

No, Felix, he's not drunk...

She'd never thought he'd have such skills...this may have been exactly what Ron wanted; to not have people notice his abilities and thus draw attention to him...

Hmm...Ron hasn't told her everything, I see. Not surprising...from what it seems, the guy has a past that he'd rather take to his grave. Which he very well might...

There is something very strange about Ron's behaviour...it's almost like he dosen't want to win this fight...

Ohh, great, not one of them...

Boy, he's really clueless, isn't he?

Everyone thinks he's going to die...I have a feeling that they might be disappointed...

Uh-oh...I smell trouble. These two guys Johnny and Clay might be working for that monster Tobias...

I think that Felix, without knowing it, may somehow be better than Ron when it comes to the gun...

There's no disuading him, I see...

It looks like the bounty hunter might be receiving a visit from a certain Stranger soon...

Inpending duel or not, the law must be obeyed...

One year...one year...that means...

Seth. One of the few who knows the Scarecrow's true name. I'm becoming more interested in this guy. Who is he exactly, and why did he choose to join the infamous, lethal Scarecrow? And what could have happened between them that would have caused him to separate himself from Ron?
And what did he mean by 'traitor'?
I guess I'll have to wait and find out...

I wonder if the paranoia of this Neville isn't dissimilar to that of a certain character from the Ubisoft video game Assassin's Creed...

I see Addams isn't an idiot. Still, none of his men are going to save him...

Hmm. So Seth isn't a coward. Which means he may not have joined Scarecrow for protection...

He uses a rifle, huh?
I'd prefer that to a handgun...

Though he has the skill, the fear is always still there...nice one, yvj.

Humph. Amatuers. The numbers game won't work if your men can't even point their guns in time...

Hmm...Seth agrees with Ron when it comes to killing those who deserve it...interesting...

That hat must mean a lot to him...too bad Diablo trampled it up. Who would have thought he'd end up burying it at MiddleWood?

I don't like this...this is the kind of thinking a man does when he nears his death...

Wrestle a bear...are ye freakin' kidding me!?

Bull and Clay are trouble...that is pretty much obvious. The question is, how much trouble can they cause?

I really hate it when guys like Blamhammer try to make a noble thing out of war. Like Yoda said, wars not make one great...

Ron knows there's a chance he might lose...then that must mean...

Thank God that kid dosen't have a clue...

I wonder what Mr. Possible is searching for...

Some dang friends...I think they get him drunk on purpose just to see how he'll act...

They got Felix drunk too!? What the heck!?

Hehehe...elephants and clowns...

That damn Lunsford...trust him to kill the mood...

Ohh, man, Ron and Felix really don't mix well with alcohol...

Just how many men has he killed, I wonder?

So he's wondering if death is such a terrible thing after all...
That's not good...

Ah, yes. That strange, terrifying feeling of impending doom. It cannot be explained, merely experienced...

Hehehe...yeah, he looks anything but a gunman...

Hehehehehe...why is she mad, he wonders? Hehehe...

God, that writer is annoying...

Barkin wants Ron to help keep the peace?
Interesting...

So it was Kim's idea, eh?
Man, she must be just as confused as he is. Why DOES she care about him so much?

Where on EARTH did he get those spectacles!?

Aww, man, he REALLY dosen't have a clue...

Someone's tapping on the window?
Uh-oh...

And thus bounty hunter Felix Renton experiences the blinding effects of the very first flashbang grenade...

Ouch...she was going to break his fingers. Goes to show ya. When in love...

Hehehe...Kim, aka the Stranger, is probably even more dangerous than the Scarecrow...she does not even need a gun...

And so Kim resorts to her final, desperate act to stop Ron from getting himself killed...putting their friendship at stake.
That just might work...

Future plans?

Wait. She saw the kiss?
Uh-oh...

Felix recognized the Stranger?
He's sharp...

Man, you had to end the chapter there, didn't ya? Ah, well.

I really loved reading this chapter. Not full of laughs, not filled with fast-paced action, but it was very good. There is something almost...haunting...about the way Ron behaved in this chapter. It's almost as if he wants to die...but he couldn't let that happen.

Something just occurred to me; what if, by the second that they're supposed to draw, Ron won't reach for his gun?
What if he'll just let Felix shoot him?

Sorry, don't know why that occurred to me. Still, with everything that he has been through, it would make sense that Ron might welcome death. But he can't. At least, not yet. Life still goes on for him, and there are still many things in MiddleWood he hasn't seen yet.

As for Felix...I believe he could beat the Scarecrow. If more incredible things like Ron beating his mentor Timothy Murdoch to the draw, then surely one like a 'crippled' bounty hunter defeating the notorious Scarecrow isn't impossible.

Still, I hope that both Felix and Ron could reach an understanding, and not end up killing each other.

But as always, this is your story, yvj. You write it in any way you fancy.

Right now, the one guy I'm most interested in is Seth. There'll be a very surprising reunion in store for Ron when Will and Veronica arrive in MiddleWood...

Looking forward as ever to the next chapter, yvj. Thank you very much for this latest installment of this excellent story. I will be awaiting your next update with trepidation.

CMY

P.S. Not to intrude, but I was wondering, how are you doing on Evolution? No need to reveal anything if you don't want to, of course...