The man was dressed for a rodeo and yet, his body was hardly fit to be a stable hand.

He was bespectacled and weedy, yet wore a towering ten gallon hat that reached up to the ceiling. He sported ridiculous cowhide pants, leather boots with jangling golden spurs and a moccasin vest fitted with a golden star. It bore the title: "Town Prosecutor."

"The name's Lonesome Cowboy Larry," he said, flicking a finger gun at Priscilla. "Giddyup!"

With great difficulty, he managed to place his leather boot on top of the defense desk, complete with a tearing sound that seemed to be coming from his cowhide pants.

He winced visibly, earning a look of concern from Ruby.

Both women looked more confused by his behavior rather than seduced. He immediately changed his tune from seductive to accusatory. "And y'all are way in over your head, vile murderess!"

Priscilla, not the one to be trifled with, sneered at him. "Why are you called Lonesome?" she asked. "Couldn't get a date with a lady?"

Lonesome Cowboy Larry looked quite nervous hearing that. "Er…I…uh…ummm…"

Without warning, Prissy held her hand to her mouth and began to chortle. "Ohohohoho! I bet you're the biggest square at a square dance!"

Larry began to sweat. He thrust a finger straight at Priscilla. "I'll show buckeroo! I'll put you behind bars for yer slander! And I'll find myself that perfect little fillie too."

Ruby finally peeped up. "Please excuse my client, Mr. Prosecutor. She's an upper class Londoner." ("The one percent of the one percent," Priscilla coughed.)

Ruby extended her hand graciously to her new adversary.

"And yes indeedy. I'm her defense attorney… and a lady!"

Larry's glasses glinted and he smirked as he pushed them up. "Speaking of little fillies, y'all ain't no defense attorney. You're better off fixing that fat judge with some supper so he doesn't lock up yer friend for life…or worse and hang her high!"

Now it was Larry's turn to laugh. Ruby turned as bright red as her name as he burst into another round of "yee haw haw haws!"

The young wannabe attorney gazed away. Maybe Larry was right. There was no place for women in the justice system. The judge would never see to it.

Things seemed utterly hopeless until the door to the courtroom opened and two more men stepped inside. One of them was unfamiliar. But the other was a close friend to Ruby and blessed relief after Larry's insensitivity.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

The first man was large and pot bellied. He sported a white suit, silver grey hair and a matching silver goatee. His stomach jiggled as he walked, giving off the appearance of a southern Santa.

The second and familiar one was none other than Nathaniel Lawson, her professor and mentor, and boy, was she happy to see him.

Nate was a lanky, middle aged man with an arched brow, a receded hairline that ended in spikey points and an emerald green corduroy suit. His gawky and tanned body moved to its own rhythm and his face lit up into a grin when he saw Ruby.

"Heya kid!" he squawked and bobbed his head like an excitable cockatoo. "How's my favorite Hawkeye doing?"

The big round man–a direct contrast to Lawson's wirey frame–smirked and spoke in a deep, gravely country-fried accent.

"My my, I do declare, is that your wife, Mr. Lawson? That little chickadee is young and pure enough to be your daughter!"

Nate and Ruby both wrinkled their noses.

"Oh hecks no!" they both exclaimed.

"She's my student!" Lawson answered. "If anything, she's actually my in-law. My student in law!"

The famed defense attorney slapped his knee, earning a nonplussed expression from everyone.

"It'd be less scandalous if she was your wife!" Lonesome Cowboy Larry answered, turning around in his twenty gallon hat. "Teaching a woman law?! Why it's more insane than teaching a tumbleweed to tango!"

The shrimpish prosecutor made a non-existent muscle and giggled at Ruby. "Sorry darling. Law is a man's job!"

In response, Mr. Lawson raised his angular eyebrows. "What's this nonsense now? Is that true, Ruby? Are you offering to be Prettipenni's defense attorney for this case?"

Ruby gave him a firm nod. "You bet! She's my best friend and I'd do anything for her…Even defend her in a court of law!"

Mr. Lawson grinned and flashed her a thumbs up. "I don't see what's the problem then. She's trained by a practicing attorney–moi– and she's helping a friend in need. This town desperately needs someone to lay down the law and it seems the only person with a problem is the prosecutor!"

Raven stuck his fingers through the edge of his slacks.

"Wonder why?"

He smirked at Ruby and suddenly, a similar smirk crossed her face. She narrowed her eyes at Larry. "Are you afraid to be beaten by a girl? Are you…a lily livered chicken?"

Ruby curled her arms into chicken wings and gave a buck-cawk!

Lonesome Cowboy Larry turned redder than a Texas sun. "What?!! No! I'll face y'all any old day! In fact, I'll be the reason women stay in the kitchen."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Such a noble intention."

Her mentor rubbed his fingers together.

It seemed his plan to make Ruby a defense attorney had come to fruition. Lawson turned to the large man dressed in white. "Now what do you say, Mr. Judge? Can sweet little Ruby be a defense attorney!"

The big man was silent, his face wrinkled in conflict. "Hmm, I dunno. We've never had a lady as a sitting attorney before."

Nathaniel dramatically raised his finger to the ceiling. "After all, this young girl traveled west all by herself. Why? Because of two words: Manifest Destiny!"

"Yes sir," Ruby pleaded, her eyes gleaming. "There's nothing I'd like more than to fulfill my dream of becoming a lawyer! Nate taught me the West is the land of opportunity, wild dreams and wilder ambitions. Where we can manifest our own destiny! So please find it in your heart to consider me a suitable attorney to defend my best friend!"

The bearded man held a pudgy finger to his double chin. "Well…If I get to marvel at that fine little chickadee the whole time, it's fine by me."

Nate Lawson turned to Ruby Hawkins, his longtime protege. She beamed from ear to ear.

At long last, she could finally be the defense attorney she dreamed of.

With one swoop, she could restore law to a lawless town, starting with her best friend.

"Well, what do you say?!" Lawson asked.

"Oh my lanta!" Ruby exclaimed. "Can't believe I'm gonna say this, but thank god for male chauvinism!"