"Yes, sir, " Spencer said. He looked at the other deputy and whispered, "Clayborne's a legend in Montana." Cobb was dutifully impressed. Cooper saw Cole roll his eyes in exasperation, and grinned in reaction.

"Why don't you boys go on over to the hotel now and get cleaned up.

After you eat, take the watch from the sheriff and his men for a while.

" "Yes, sir, " Spencer said. He nudged Cobb out the doorway but paused to look at Cole. "Marshal Clayborne, sir? Is it true what happened down in Springfield? " "Don't believe everything you hear, " Cole replied.

"But it's true, isn't it? You shot all four of the Murphy gang before any of them could get their guns out, didn't you, sir? " "Get going, Spencer, " Cooper ordered. "You're embarrassing Marshal Clayborne. "

Cole laughed. As soon as the door closed behind the deputies, he said, "They look awfully young."

"They are young, " Cooper agreed. "But they're fast with a gun and they want to be lawmen. They're both tougher than they look." Daniel spoke to Cole then. "I've decided to change the plans. Cooper's going to take Rebecca to Blackwater, and you and I will take Grace and Jessica. We'll split up and all meet in Red Arrow on Thursday, barring any unforeseen problems."

"That's fine with me, " Cole said.

"I thought we should all travel together, " Cooper interjected. "But Daniel thinks it's safer if we take separate trains."

"Three beautiful women are bound to draw a lot of attention, " Cole said.

"Cooper just told me there's a signed order from Judge Abbott, " Daniel said.

"Who's Abbott? " "A judge in Salt Lake, " Daniel answered. "The judge in Blackwater wired Abbott asking for his help in getting our cooperation. Since we're on special assignment, we don't have to do as they ask, but I think we should go along. One of these women saw the murders, and by God, she will testify."

"The judge in Blackwater is hopping mad, " Cooper interjected. "I can't blame him. First, Daniel wires him and tells him he might have a witness. Then the women say they weren't there, and then they all say that they were. Have you figured out which one was really inside the bank at the time of the robbery? " "Not yet, " Daniel said. "I thought I'd know after each one gave me the details of what happened."

"But? " Cooper prodded.

"They each have their own version. It's maddening."

"If you had to guess, which one do you think was really there? "

Cooper asked.

Daniel and Cole said the name at the same time. "Rebecca. "

"Interesting, " Cooper replied.

"The details she gave us are convincing. She was able to describe some of the men, and she even knew a couple of their names."

"Jessica hasn't been able to tell us much yet. She's still pretty shaken over the shooting." Cooper said, "I've gotta tell you one thing. These women sure do intrigue me. I can understand why they would all deny being there.

They'd be scared and they have all surely heard about the witnesses the Blackwater boys butchered. What I can't understand is why they'd all change their tune and say they were there."

"Daniel thinks they all joined forces, " Cole said. "Sheriff Sloan put the three of them together in one of the cells, and Daniel thinks that's when they hatched their plan."

"What do you know about these women? Have you looked into their backgrounds? " {We don't know much . . . yet, " Daniel said. "I'm having each one of them investigated. It's a slow process, though, and we'll probably be in Blackwater before the information comes back. I do know bits and pieces, but even that hasn't been verified."

"Such as? " Cooper asked.

"According to people she's met in Rockford Falls, Rebecca was born in New York City and lived with her parents and her cousins in a tenement.

There were nine of them in a twobedroom apartment. Both the parents drank themselves into early graves. Rebecca is self-educated, and about three years ago, she moved to St. Louis and severed ties with her relatives. She met a businessman and she's planning to marry him in the fall. She goes to church every Sunday and works in the library.

" "If she's in love, she's probably trying to protect him. She's got to know this gang could use him to get to her, " Cooper said. "What about Grace and Jessica? What do you know about them? " "I don't know anything about Grace yet, other than the fact that she came here from England and that she wants to buy aranch. I wired some contacts in London, but I haven't heard back from them yet."

"And Jessica? " Cooper asked.

"Her mother died about two years ago. Her father deserted the family when she was a little girl. Jessica came to Rockford Falls from Chicago to help with the delivery of her aunt's baby. The aunt was her mother's sister, and she was the only family she had left."

"You're talking as though she's dead. Is she? " Cooper asked.

"Yes, " Daniel answered. "She died a couple of hours after childbirth from hemorrhage. She and her husband had been married for over fifteen years when she finally got pregnant. Her husband didn't want the baby, though. After his wife died, he didn't stay around long enough to name the baby. He left town the very next day and hasn't been heard of since."

"What happened to the baby? " Cooper asked.

"Jessica happened, " Daniel answered. "She's very young, but she's doing a hell of a job raising the boy on her own."

"That's a hard burden for a single woman to take on, ^ Cooper said.

"She's up to the task, " Cole said. "Jessica's strong."

"Sounds like she is, " Cooper agreed. "Her baby would be a good reason for her to keep silent if she were your witness. She'd probably go to great lengths to protect him."

"Grace probably had someone she was trying to protect too, " Cole said.

"She does, " Daniel replied. "Her parents."

"Where did you get all this information? " "Tilly MacGuire, " Daniel answered. "Like I said before, it hasn't been verified. The woman's a wealth of information.

She seems to know everything about everyone in this town and all the folks passing through. She's been very helpful." Cooper stood up and stretched his arms. "When are you going to leave for Blackwater? " he asked.

"I can't go until tomorrow. The doctor wants Grace to stay in bed another day. It's too bad you can't get some sleep before you head out.

You look like hell."

"You don't look so good yourself, Daniel."

"I'm fine, " he replied.

"Cole, when are you going to take Jessica? " '{Wait a minute, " Cole said. "I can't take Caleb with us. That's out of the question."

Daniel agreed. "What are we going to do with him?

" Cole had already considered the problem. "I don't want to leave him here. Every one knows who he belongs to, " he explained. "I want to hide him, and I think I've thought of the perfect place."

"Are you thinking about Rosehill? " "What's Rosehill? " Cooper asked.

"My ranch, " Cole answered. "My mother lives there, and my brothers and my sister come and go. Mama Rose is in Scotland now with my sister and her husband, and they won't be back for another month."

"Then where are you going to put Caleb? " "Tom and Josey Norton."