Egged on by Chuck Slade, Jack Edwards becomes a dangerous drunk in the Birdcage. After beating a man he wounds Timmo and tries to force Lily to dance with him. Marshal Troop hearing the gunfire enters the Birdcage and tries to talk Edwards into giving up his gun. However, with Slade's urging Edwards draws on Troop forcing Troop to kill him. Later Troop begins to receive a series of letters telling him he is to be killed within a week but no reason is given. When they learn Slade has returned to Laramie, they think it is him but it proves not to be. Johnny is worried about Troop and it occurs to him that an older man, Jason Smith, made comments about a son. Troop and Johnny go to investigate Smith but Smith gets the drop on Troop with a shotgun. Johnny intervenes as Smith describes his son Jack as a good boy but Johnny tries to persuade him that was not the truth at the end.
—Anonymous