As Jed enters their house, Sarah heads over to the stove to get supper for their unwelcome guest. Jed barks, "Hurry up with that grub woman! I'm powerful hungry." Sarah continues getting his food as Jed grabs a chair at the table and plops down. "What's yer name mister?" asks Sarah, "I like ta know the folks that come inta ma home, invited er not." Jed chuckles as he proudly proclaims, "Sure, my name's Jed Haskell, an you best remember it, cause I'm fixin ta be famous real soon. Now what might yer name be?"
Sarah continues her work at the stove as she answers, "Sarah Johnson, and the boy is my son Ethan." Jed looks at Sarah as she continues preparing his food. "Where's Mr. Johnson?" Sarah pauses and whispers under her breath, "Fergive me lord." Jed gets a little bothered and snarls, "What's that? Speak up woman, I cain't hear ya." Sarah gets set to tell him a lie, hoping to protect her and Ethan. "I said he went out this mornin." The Sarah tells a lie. "He's due back any time."
Jed pulls his gun and starts twirling it as he takes a long look at Sarah, then makes a snide remark. "Well you treat me real nice, an maybe I won't have ta kill yer mister when he shows up." Jed laughs his evil laugh once again. Sarah is worried about what Jed might do. Just then Ethan enters the house. Jed turns toward Ethan. "Hey boy, you take good care ah ma horse?" Ethan nervously answers, "Yyes sir." Jed decides to question Ethan and says, "Come on over here boy." Ethan is frightened of Jed and looks to his mother. Jed continues. "I said come over here boy. I ain't gunna hurt ya." Sarah motions to Ethan to do as Jed tells him. Ethan reluctantly walks over to Jed.
"Boy, I hear tell yer Pa's due back any time. That so?" Ethan looks down sadly. "No sir." Sarah quickly interrupts. "Ethan come over here an give me a hand with this." Jed snaps, "Stay put boy!" Jed gives Ethan a steely eyed look. "Where's yer Pa?" Ethan answers quickly. "My Pa's dead mister." Jed pauses as he considers how to keep Sarah in line. Still looking at Ethan, he says, "That so?" Ethan nodes yes. Then Jed looks at Sarah and barks, "Tell ya what little lady, I catch you in another lie" Jed points his pistol at Sarah, "An my trigger finger might jes git itchy. Now git that grub over here now." Sarah quickly brings his plate of food over to the table. Jed grabs at it and starts attacking his food. Sarah offers grace as Jed continues to eat. Jed takes note of Sarah's praying. "Our Heavenly Father, we offer thanks fer thy provision an ask yer blessin in Jesus name, Amen." In a muffled voice with his mouth full of food, Jed remarks on Sarah's praying. "Well ain't that somethin. Ya do that there foolish prayin all the time, er jes when folks show up uninvited?" Sarah stands her ground. "We honor the good Lord at all our meals. Even with the uninvited an those that don't know Jesus." Jed continues to stuff his mouth as he gives Sarah a snide smile and teases with, "I knowed Jesus once." Ethan looks at Jed with a surprised look on his face and asks, "Ya did?" Jed is pleased that his joke took hold. "Yep. Jesus Gonzalez. Cept I thank he pronounced it, "Hay Seuss." Jed howls with laughter and a mouth full of food.
As Jed continues stuffing his face, he talks to Sarah. "Little lady, ya ner did ask me why I'm fixen ta be famous an all. Ain't ya jest a wee bit curious?" Jed shoves aside his now empty plate. "Ya see, I shot Gus Baxter back there a piece. An soon as I catch up with his mangy hide in Logan, I aim ta finish the job by dropin him dead in the street fer Buzzard bait. Then I'll be the man that out drew Gus Baxter, the fastest gun there be... Er was." Ethan gets upset at Jed's story and quickly says, "Ya can't kill Mr. Baxter. He's my friend." Jed stands his ground with, "Well I don't know bout all that boy, but I'm sure nuff gunna kill yer Mr. Baxter."
Ethan is upset and looks to his Ma and hollers, "Ma! He can't kill Mr. Baxter." Sarah moves to comfort Ethan. But Jed takes note of Ethan's feelings for Baxter and it gives him an idea as he asks, "Boy, you taken a liken ta Baxter?" Sarah gets a notion that Jed is up to no good and doesn't want Ethan to answer, so she tells Jed, "Leave the boy be." Jed acts like he was just curious as he continues, "I was jes askin ah simple question. Jed starts in again with, "Ethan," that what yer Ma called ya? I like that name. Now Ethan, you kin tell me. You take a shine ta Baxter? An he took a likin ta you maybe?" Ethan answers reluctantly. "Yes sir." Jed knows he's struck gold and says, "Well that's nice. That's real nice." Jed gets up out of his chair and moves toward Ethan. Then he quickly grabs Ethan by the back of his neck. Ethan tenses up and hollers "Ma!" Sarah quickly crosses to Jed and pushes at him yelling, "Leave him be!" Jed pushes Sarah down in a chair with his right hand and then pulls his pistol and points it at her as he commands, "Now stay sit and nobody gits hurt."
Jed turns his attention back to Ethan who is very scared and he presses him with, "Boy, I don't want ta hurt you or yer Ma. But I'm a mite tuckered from trackin Baxter, an I jes got me an idea." Jed looks over at Sarah and tells her, "Little lady, yer gunna ride on out to Logan, find Baxter an tell him that I'm holdin yer boy. An if'n Baxter don't come back ta face me in ah gun fight, yer boy dies." Sarah and Ethan are scared. Sarah angrily snaps back "You can't do this. I ain't gunna leave Ethan with the likes ah you!" Jed gives her a stern warning. "I ain't askin ya little lady. I'm tellin ya. You ride out now er so help me I'll kill yer boy." Jed points his gun at Ethan. "I'll pull the trigger this minute... I will... Now git goin." Sarah looks at Jed with all the anger she can muster and says through clenched teeth, "Yer an evil man." Jed just stares back and tells her, "You come back here without Baxter, er with anybody besides Baxter an you'll find out jes how evil I am. Now git." Sarah looks at Ethan and tries to calm him with, "Ethan, don't worry son, I'll be back soon as I can." Sarah looks back at Jed then quickly heads out the door. As she does, Ethan cries out "Ma!"