Everyone remained in the safety of the courthouse, but a loud voice boomed from the dusty streets. "Where is the attorney who put the assassin behind bars?"

A loud gulp came from Ruby. Were these the shady cowboys who had hired Asp to do her dirty deed?

The crowd shuddered as the courthouse door was kicked open with the ferocity of a bucking mule. There was a nearly six and a half foot man standing in the doorway holding a smoking gun pointed in the air.

He was masked with a black bandana draped across his nose, mouth and neck. Jet black sunglasses shined over his eyes. A long dark texan hat spread across his hat with a brim nearly filling the doorway.

Cries of fear and terror filled the room, but Colonel Slanders exclaimed, "Good gravy, Mr. Bailiff, do yer job!"

The massive bailiff cranked a gun straight back at him.

The bandit chuckled, his face nearly completely shrouded in mystery. His voice was as burly and intimidating as his size. "There you are!" he said, thrusting a gun at Ruby.

She squeaked, deeply praying Ranger Mask would come to her aid, but he seemed to have truly rode off into the midday sun.

The bailiff continued to aim his gun at the bandit, warning the masked cowboy from shooting holes through Ruby.

"I just wanted to warn y'all, attorney," the mystery man said. "Keep sticking that cute button nose where it doesn't belong and we'll shoot it clean off your face."

The masked bandit turned his head to Priscilla. "Pritchard Prettipenni danced with us and we gave him a good old fashioned snake bite."

Priscilla covered her mouth and tears ran from her eyes.

"Just a word of advice," he said stoically. "Challenge us and you'll roll…"

Without warning, the man threw something straight at Ruby. She screamed and flinched, but whatever it was bounced harmlessly off her head. She hoped her eyes would see it was a pair of black dice.

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Regardless of how they rolled, there was a sole blood red dot on each side. Snake eyes were the only combination.

"Don't bet your life on snake eyes," the bandit said.

With those words, the second interloper left. Their horses galloped away, and an otherwise happy ending ended in an enigma instead.

Ruby wondered who exactly were these men.

But in this case, learning the truth could prove deadly.

***

The next day, Ruby Hawkins sat on the edge of her cot. The shades were drawn over the second story of the town's lawyer office.

It was owned by Nathaniel Lawson and she had been staying there while he was away. Now he had returned to the town and there was enough drama to make her head spin on its shoulders.

But once the proverbial dust settled, young Ruby was deep in thought about her future career.

She had become a defense attorney like Nate promised. She had saved her friend from dire circumstances too. Priscilla's neck was free of the gallows, but what about that threat from the Snake Eyes?

The same men who put Prissy’s pappa underground had threatened to do the same to Ruby. And even if she loved crusading for truth and protecting the innocent, would it be worth it to risk her life for it?

Eighteen years and a degree awarded by her trusted teacher could not answer that question.

She was about to groan and bury her face in the pillow when all of a sudden, the door flung open.

The balding Nate appeared with his signature toothy grin. He hadn't spoken much to her at breakfast, and when he wasn't talking, something was always up.

"Hey kiddo!" he exclaimed, thrusting two gloves hands in her direction. "Get a load of what I just hammered in the ground."

"My grave?" Ruby asked with a morbid sense of humor.

"Nah kid!" he laughed. "Your future."

Ruby couldn't help being curious about what he meant. He thrusted a hand towards her and pulled her up. "C'mon! And spare the gallows humor! Or you can't HANG with me."

Ruby smiled and rolled her eyes. She could count on the man for his punny sense of humor to at least force a smile in dire times.

She carefully carried her long hoop skirt down the stairs, off the porch and into the dirty dusty street.

There she saw a new sign haphazardly bolted into the dirt. It read: "Legal Eagle Lawyering Co. Founded by Nathaniel Lawson and Ruby Hawkins."

"MY LANTA!" Ruby screamed, holding her hands to her face. "Am I really an official defense attorney now?"

Nate put his hands on the hips of his trousers. "In Holy Toledo, yes indeedy-do!"

Ruby's fear suddenly dwarfed her passion and excitement. "Nate, you really are great!"

Nate grinned again as the sun shone down on the duo. "Just goes to show that for your true destiny. You just gotta manifest it! The old West proves it. Even a little lady can be a defense attorney under the right circumstances!"

Ruby was so proud of herself and her ability to manifest. It made the threat of the Snake Eyes goons seem like nothing she couldn't handle.

Ruby smirked. "Guess I did that good didn't I?"

Nate chuckled and added. "You really managed to get on that old judge's good side with your looks. So uh, keep up with those looks and I think you'll remain in his favor!"

Ruby rolled her eyes. There was always a catch these days.

But, regardless, law and justice was on her side and now, it would hopefully return to this lawless town!