Roy Crawford scowled at the group of lawmen as they discussed when the marshal would take him back to Dodge. And then they discussed the trial. Sheriff Parker wanted to have Crawford's trail immediately but Matt preferred to wait until they had a chance to capture the other robbers. Either way, Matt agreed to transport Crawford back to Dodge that afternoon.

"Matt, I have three other deputies out looking for the rest of this bunch, but with this storm, I'm not sure how far they'll get," Parker said as he sat down in his chair at the desk with a slight look of dispar on his face.

Matt looked out the window and twisted his lips in thought, "We'll find them one way or another," he said. "I think it would be set to get Crawford out of town sooner than later," Matt added.

"Oh? Why?" Parker asked.

"There's a lot of resentment for him here in Spearville. The further we separate him from here, the better off we'll all be," Matt said as his eyes watched the street while he remembered what Willowby and Henshaw had said.

Sheriff Parker stood and walked toward Matt, joining him at the door, "Yeah, some folks are taking this pretty badly. Frank was a decent man. A good friend to a lot of us," he said as he too looked out onto the street. Matt nodded then turned to face Parker, "We'll leave in an hour," Matt stated. "That will give us time to eat and get organized and back to Dodge before dark," he concluded.

"Do you need any of my men?" Parker asked.

Matt shook his head no. "I'd like you to keep your men here to keep an eye on the townsfolk. I don't want anyone trying some thing stupid," Matt said. Parker agreed.

"Come on Festus. We have work to do," Matt said as he walked out the door and the deputy followed.

Sheriff Parker watched the two Dodge City lawmen leave and walk up the street to the restaurant. Slowly the sheriff turned to face Roy Crawford. He didn't say anything, but Crawford instantly knew what the sheriff was thinking. Crawford laughed, "You'll never find the others," he scoffed.

"Are you willing to bet your life on it?" Parker growled at the bank robber. Crawford huffed, "You'll see," he muttered which caused the sheriff to pause. Parker wasn't sure what to make of the statement.

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Evelyn pulled on her long dark oilskin coat and then places a large brimmed hat on her head before she stepped out onto the porch. The rain was still driving hard, in fact perhaps even hard since the sheriff took Roy Crawford away.

Evelyn pulled the door closed behind her and stepped off the porch in the direction of the barn. She cast her eyes around to make sure she wasn't being watched. However, she then realized that the sheriff didn't suspect her involvement with Roy.

Evelyn scurried to the barn and unlatched the door and slipped into the darkness. Several of the animals stirred as she began to saddle her horse for the ride to the stage stop. She then slipped the bridle over the horse's head and pulled the animal out of its stall and into the yard where she closed the barn door. Quickly, Evelyn pulled herself up onto the saddled horse and spurred the horse in the flanks causing it to jump forward.

Evelyn estimated that her ride to the stage stop would take her the better part of the day. The rain seemed to become heavier and the sky darkened with the approaching storm.

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Sheriff Parker's other three deputies that had trailed other bank robbers were held up in a shack about ten miles away from the stage stop. That is as far as they could follow the trail before the heavy rain washed them out.

Tom Weaver stood in the doorway and looked out at the mud puddles and rain, "Parker isn't going to be happy about this," he said as the turned back to face the other two deputies who were seated at the table in the middle of the room.

"Well, there isn't much we can do about it," Farley Johnson stated from the old chair that he gingerly rocked back and forth on the back legs, "You can't stop the rain," he sighed as he looked down at his rough weathered hands. "I know you want to get them, so do I. Frank was a good friend of mine too," Johnson said as he gently set the chair down on all four legs and stood to look out the window.

Jack McCord remained seated in the other chair. He methodically tilted the chair back, "Where do you think they're heading?" he asked with speculation in his tone.

Weaver shrugged, "They could have split up by now. Trailing them after this rain might be next to impossible," he added.

Johnston looked over his shoulder, "Why? Do you think you know where they're heading?" His intense blue eyes held McCord's brown eyes. Farley Johnson never really liked Jack McCord. There was just something that didn't sit right with him. He always seemed so smug.

McCord set the chair back down on all four legs to lean on the table as he starred at Johnson, "I haven't a clue. I was just asking, that's all," he shrugged knowing his comment bit at Johnson who flexed his jaw muscles as he returned his gaze to the window and the driving rain. McCord smiled to himself. He had no use for Farley Johnson either. He felt the man had a yellow streak up his back a mile wide.

McCord leaned back in the chair again, "I'm actually glad that Dan Warner shot one of them dead. I hope they all go that way," he chuckled coldly.

Farley turned quickly and glared at the other deputy, "So much for democracy and fair trials," he stated.

"You really think they deserve any better?" McCord asked coldly.

"It's not for me to say," Johnson stated, "That's what the jury will decide. That's way we're out here looking for them," he said in a huff.

Tom Weaver looked at the two men, "Would you both shut up?"

Barely Johnson huffed and walked to the window to watched the rain. Jack McCord rocked his chair and smiled to himself.

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Festus held the reins of Matt's horse as he watched the marshal aid Roy Crawford to his horse. The other deputies and sheriff Parker watched on with rifles fixed on Crawford, should he make a run for it.

Once the prisoner was settled, Matt climbed up and onto the saddle as he kept his eyes on the street and the people who gawked on. Festus quickly climbed onto his saddle and nudged Ruth forward as he reached out and took the reins of Crawford's horse. Festus made sure he wrapped the leather around his hand a few times to prevent the leather straps from slipping from his wet hands.

"Let's get a move on," Matt said as he gently spurred Buck. The large buckskin horse lazily moved along the street. Matt's eyes watched everyone as they watched on. He particularly noted Leon Henshaw. He could feel the hate in the man for the prisoner. Matt nudge Buck again this time the horse picked up his pace and the trio was soon out of sight.