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Sheriff Zendt and Jake were making good time and had formulated a plan. Jake suggested that they stop at Fort Shaw and have a chat with the Stoker brothers. If anyone had seen Dave Forrest, it would be Fred and Amos. If they had to ride to Woman’s Breast, which they both believed was likely, they’d rest the horses then head north. It would be early in the evening, but they’d decided not to give Dave an opportunity to use the Martini-Henry.
They’d ride in the dark until they were close to the ghost town. If they were lucky, Dave would have started a fire, then they could sneak up on him and capture him. If they weren’t able to see a fire, they’d wait until the predawn and walk into the town with their Winchesters ready. It was a good plan which allowed for unexpected situations. But both men understood that no plan was perfect, especially when dealing with a desperate killer.
But even as he and the sheriff finalized their plan, Jake was already beginning to feel as if he had to go to the ghost town on his own to confront Dave Forrest.
_____
It was almost noon when Dave rode into Woman’s Breast and pulled up before the first building that looked habitable. It used to be a saddlery, and the roof didn’t look as if it was ready to collapse. It was also on the south side of the street, so he’d be able to look out one of the glassless back windows to spot any visitors.
While he wasn’t worried about the law finding him, he did have a different concern. When he heard the hotel clerk tell the deputy his name after he’d said ‘murders’, Dave knew that somehow, Jake must have found his father’s body. He was convinced that Jake was now going to hunt him relentlessly. He may have liked Jake, but he wasn’t about to give him a chance to avenge his parents’ deaths.
He dismounted, then began stripping his horses and moving his gear into the old saddlery. He was careful where he stepped to avoid crashing through the weathered wood.
After everything was inside, he led his two horses to what must have been the town’s only livery. He left the horses in a pair of decrepit stalls then found an old wooden bucket that seemed in decent shape and left the barn. He walked to the common trough and hoped that the pump worked. He thought he’d have to prime it, but after a few strokes, water gushed out of the spout. He laughed as he filled the bucket then carried it back to the barn without questioning why he hadn’t had to prime the pump.
Joe Packard had been watching Dave since he’d arrived and was even more suspicious of the man. He hoped that his uninvited guest would leave in the morning but wasn’t sure what he’d do if the stranger decided to stay. What made him more concerned was when the man set up in the old saddlery. It wasn’t one of the better buildings, so Joe figured he chose to set up there to keep an eye on the southern road. He could be waiting for more outlaws to arrive and that would mean real trouble for Joe.
Two years ago, a gang of four outlaws had decided to use Woman’s Breast as a hideout and Joe had to stay out of sight for two weeks. He couldn’t hunt either, so by the time they left, he was as skinny as he’d ever been. He figured they left because they were just bored and expected them to return after committing some robbery, but they didn’t. He hoped that they’d been caught and hanged. Now he was concerned that this feller was a gang leader himself. He thought about wasting a bullet but decided to wait until tomorrow. Maybe he’d leave before Joe had to bury him.
_____
After having a late lunch and then taking another break for the horses, Jake and Sheriff Zendt were just nine miles east of Fort Shaw.
Jake was very pleased with the sorrel and hated to admit that he had a smoother gait than Mars. He almost hated the idea of returning him to the remuda and wondered if that was why Bill Jackson had chosen him. But then an even stranger notion popped into his head that made him decide to offer the horse to Jack Parker as his permanent ride. He didn’t want Kay to show up at the ranch to search for her promised horse and choose the sorrel.
When he grinned and shook his head, Arv asked, “What’s so funny, Jake?”
“After Kay learned that I had given Vulcan to Sara and a horse to each of her brothers, she asked if I was going to give her one. I told her I was, but she hasn’t come out to the ranch yet. I like this sorrel a lot and thought about giving him to my foreman so Kay couldn’t have him.”
Arv quickly asked, “If you don’t want Kay to have him, why don’t you give him to me? He sure looks better than what I’m riding.”
“If you want him, you can have him, Arv. But you have to wait until we get back to the ranch.”
“I wasn’t going to make you walk or ride mine.”
Jake grinned as he looked west then said, “Maybe we’ll be heading back in canoes. Look at those clouds ahead of us.”
“I’ve been watching them build up. If it starts coming down, do you still want to head up to Woman’s Breast, or do you want to stay dry in Fort Shaw?”
“Maybe having a heavy downpour will be better than just waiting after sunset. Besides, it’s nearly a full moon.”
“I know, but there would be more than just rain coming out
