King left Abby in the room to mull over his words.  He didn't need an answer immediately.  Siding with him against the others in the saloon was a big decision, and one that was best thought over for a few days.  Besides, he was confident enough in his ability to manipulate those around him.  With the wild ride he'd just given Abby, along with the seeds of doubt he'd planted in her mind, Abby would be his.  It was only a matter of time.<br/><br/>He emerged at the top of the stairwell, his calloused fingers buttoning the front of his shirt as he began moving downstairs.  He slid his jacket on, his gun belt resting easily at his waist.  One hand rose, adjusting the angle of his dark hat, and as he turned, taking the last few steps toward the main floor of the saloon, his dark eyes slid over the crowd, meeting the dark glares of those who had heard of why Bill had killed himself.  If anyone rose to challenge him, his guns were at the ready...but no one would.  They were cowards, one and all, preferring to drown their woes in whiskey and women rather than face the obvious threat among them.<br/><br/>Him.<br/><br/>He walked across the length of the saloon, his dark gaze washing appreciatively over Evie, and lingering on her form for a moment before moving on.  He pushed out the front doors of the saloon, and into the crowd.  The angry cries that had been slowly fading suddenly grew again as he walked among them, and once more, King's gaze met those who would challenge him.  And again, that steely gaze, that dark stare that promised death, cowed each and every one of them into submission.<br/><br/>He stopped at the edge of the street, though, his gaze falling to the broken shell of the man that was Bill.  He'd been cut down, but his neck was still at that odd angle, and his lifeless eyes seemed to stare accusingly at King.  That gaze was something that Desmond had seen before, however, and the lifeless eyes of a dead man had no effect on a man such as he.<br/><br/>"It's a pity..." he said, his hands going to his hips, his lips swirling the toothpick around in his mouth before he continued.  "Bill was a good man.  I hope that nobody else takes his example and takes the easy way out.  Life is worth livin' and livin' well.  There's a lot of work to be done in this city...and a lot of reward for those who take up the calling."<br/><br/>He glanced around at that, meeting the mixture of curious and hateful stares that came his way.  He nodded to a few men, including the two that Jackson had seen in his rather heroic leap from the rooftop, before he turned, walking out into the street.  He tossed aside the chewed toothpick as he moved, before turning a corner and disappearing from sight.