As Mac and Adam were making their way back toward Virginia City, they came across a horse that was wandering and had stopped. "Well, you're in luck, Mulligan," Mac said. "There's your horse."

Even though it was dark, Mac could almost see the relief on Mulligan's face. "I have one problem with that," Adam declared. "How do we know that is really his horse?"

Mac pretended to consider that as he took the horse's reigns. "Now, that just might be a problem," he said.

"Hey!" Mulligan said. "That 'is' my horse. I paid for him with my own money!"

"How do we know that's true?"

"I…I have a bill of sale."

"Where?"

"In that saddle bag."

Mac dug into the saddle bag and sure enough, he found a bill of sale for the horse. "Peter Mulligan," he said. He looked at the man. "Alright, you can ride it then," he said. He looked at Adam. "I think we can divide the vittles from the pack horse so that old Jake there can ride it and maybe we can get moving faster."

Adam got down and began dividing the food stuffs and got the pack horse ready for Jake to ride. "You'll have to ride the pack saddle but it won't kill you," he said.

Jake did not look happy at all but he was glad he would not have to walk all the way back to Virginia City. They got started toward the town. Although they could not go as fast as they would have if they had not had prisoners in tow, they could go faster than they did when the prisoners were walking. Mac yawned as he was beginning to get weary. He had not had much sleep after all. He decided he better sing to try and stay awake. He began to sing a song about the horse's hoof beat, which Adam joined in. Mac thought he even heard one of the guys behind them singing along. He thought sometimes otherwise good people got caught up in the wrong crowds and got talked into stuff that they thought promised a lot of money.

As the sun began to rise at dawn, they were still a few miles from Virginia City but were not as far out in the desert as before. They had the horses going at a good trot now which gave them good speed without wearing the horses out too quickly. However, they would have to stop soon and rest and eat some breakfast. When they came to a grove of trees, they decided it was a good place to stop.

Mac almost fell out of the saddle. He was bone tired and hoped he would get a little sleep soon. He did not think anyone else looked so alert either. They picketed the horses which were glad to see a little green grass under the trees and a small pool of water as well. They let their prisoners get down and get water and then tied them to separate trees.

Mac stuck his head in the water and drank until he felt full of water. He was glad they were out of that desert. He sighed as he leaned on the bank of the water pool. He thought he could fall asleep right here, but he got over under the trees and helped Adam fix camp. They fixed a fire so they could eat a little and drink some coffee.

"You're going to let us have some of that, aren't you?" Jake asked.

Mac looked at him. "What do you think we are?" he asked. "Barbarians?"

"I don't know."

"You think we're going to sit here and eat and let you guys starve?"

"I don't know, are you?"

Mac shook his head. "Wow, what you must think of humanity."

Adam set the coffee pot beside the fire. "I don't think he knows what humanity is," he remarked. "He thinks everyone is like him, I guess."

"It's a good thing we're not all like him. It would be a sad world."

Mac took some ham from the pack and sliced four pieces from it while Adam built up the fire more. "I think I am going to make some gravy with those ham drippings," Mac said. "I miss Stella's cooking. She makes the best gravy you ever tasted."

"Stop talking about that," Adam replied. "You make me miss Hop Sing's cooking."

"Well, it seems to me that we should learn how to cook better so we wouldn't miss it so bad."

"Can't have all those spices on the trail."

"I guess not."

The ham was soon frying and popping wildly, but the smell was wonderful. "This is the worst thing about cooking ham," Mac said. "It pops like crazy and throws that grease everywhere."

"I brought some jerked beef," Adam said. "We could always eat that."

Mac chuckled. "I think I'll face the grease." He yawned. "I think I have to get some shut-eye when I get this done."

"Wouldn't hurt any of us if our traveling companions there can keep from getting violent."

"They may be too tired."

"Don't worry about me," Mulligan said. "I'm not going to try anything. I don't want to get hung."

Mac sat down on a rock. "You want to tell us who is the leader of this mess?" he asked.

"I can't. He would kill me or have me killed."

"But we could…"

"Don't even say you could protect me, because you can't. He has people everywhere." Mulligan looked at Adam. "Even he could be one."

Adam stared at him. "I assure you, I'm not," he said. "I don't even know who the guy is."

"That's a likely story."

Mac was confused now. How could this man have so many connections around that area and no one could guess who it was? He thought the man had to have plenty of money from somewhere. Then again, they were stealing money along with everything else. Having connections everywhere could explain why they could get away so easily. He knew they would be able to manipulate this crowd. There was always a weak link and they had to find that.

As the sun got up, it got hotter out there on the trail as they began their journey again. Soon, they saw three riders coming. Adam knew those riders even from a distance. "It's Pa, Hoss, and Jo," he said.

As Ben, Hoss and Jo approached Mac and the others, they did not look at all happy. "Good to see you back," Ben said grimly.

"Something wrong?" Adam asked.

"There was another robbery last night. Two cowhands were killed and the barn was burned to the ground. While it was burning and everyone was trying to put it out, the thieves went into the house and stole money from the safe and then they made off with fifty head of cattle."

Mac frowned. "We have two of the gang here," he said.

Ben eyed the two in tow. "Are they talking?" he asked.

"Not yet. That one there is called Jake and this one is called Mulligan."

"Well, we'll see whether they want to talk after the judge gets through with them. Judge Rand is in town and he will decide the fate of these two very soon. This town is fit for a hanging and fit to be tied after all this and when they find out that there are two here who were in on this, it will be hard to keep them from dragging you two out and hanging you under a tree."

Mulligan swallowed hard. He looked at Jake. "See?" he asked. "We should have known this wouldn't work."

"Shut up," Jake replied. "I ain't no stool pigeon and I ain't gonna start being one."

"Yeah, those may be your last words."

"At least I'll die with my boots on and won't be called no stool pigeon."

"We'll see who sings later," Ben said.

They headed on into town. As they were coming down the street, everyone stopped to stare at the prisoners who were being brought in. Mulligan swallowed hard. Mac could see his nervousness and he thought maybe they had the weak link here in their midst, but he also knew it might not matter what the man said, these people would want him hung anyway.

Roy Coffee was waiting for them in front of the sheriff's office when they got up to the hitching rail. A crowd was moving that way. "Get those men inside," Roy said urgently.

Mac got down from his horse, along with everyone else. They took the two criminals inside and put them in cells. Roy was on the front walk of the jail. "Roy, those men should be hanged now!" someone said.

"Now, you just settle down and don't be starting up trouble," Roy replied.

"Those men killed Jessie Tart and Robbie Carnigan! They deserve to be hung!"

"They will get a trial before the judge and he will decide what their fate will be! Now, you folks go on about your business and get off the street."

"You can't keep them in there forever, Roy."

"I'll keep them in there until the judge decides what's going to happen to them."

"You know he'll hang them. What's the difference in then and now?"

"The difference is doing it by the law and justice, not by some mob!"

With that, Roy turned and went into the sheriff's office. He looked at Mac. "They want blood out there," Roy said.

"I knew they would," Mac replied.

"I can't say as I blame them. These men have been going around here terrorizing this area and killing and pilfering. No wonder they want to hang them right now, and it's not like we're not sure they did it."

Mac nodded. "But we have to go by the law and they get a fair trial."

Adam scoffed at that. "It won't be a very fair trial with their jury coming from this town," he pointed out.

"People shouldn't let their personal feelings get in the way when they are called on for something like this."

Mac paced a moment. "I'm trying to come up with a way to flush the others out," he said. "Maybe even the leader of this pack of wolves."

"How's that?" Ben asked.

"We should let it get around town that this Mulligan here is going to reveal the name of the boss at the trial and see what happens."

"You mean use him as bait?" Roy asked.

Mac nodded. "Only, we wouldn't have him in the cell that they think he's in during the night."

Roy shook his head. "That's dangerous. If he got killed from something like this, it would be our fault."

"We won't let him get killed. We're going to be on the lookout and catch whoever comes around."

"The leader of this crowd would never come out to do something like that himself," Ben said.

"No, he wouldn't, but he will send another person from his group."

Ben pursed his lips as he thought. "I've been trying to think of who this could be but I have to admit, I don't know of anyone who would stoop to this," he said.

"It must be someone that all of you would never suspect," Mac said. "Is there anyone who has been having financial difficulties? Anyone who has been losing a lot of money?"

"I heard there was a big poker game over in Carson City," Jo said. "It was a very high stakes game and I heard that some guy lost fifty thousand dollars. No one knew his name, but that rumor went around like wildfire."

"That would definitely set someone back," Mac said. "Maybe I will have to go over there and see if anyone knows who it was." He looked at the others. "While I'm gone, you guys should take care of those prisoners in there and let the rumor go around that Mulligan in there is going to reveal the name of his boss at the trial. Delay the trial, Sheriff."

"I'll delay it as long as I can but we can't delay it long because the judge is in town now," Roy said.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You need someone to go with you?" Adam asked.

"No one over there knows me," Mac replied. "They might know you guys. I would rather keep a low profile while I'm there so no one will get suspicious."

"Be careful."

"I will go first thing in the morning. Tonight, I have to get some rest."

"I hear that."

"I want to mosey around this town a little today and see what I can find out, and get some good grub."

"You can come out to the Ponderosa if you like," Ben said.

"I better stay close to town."

"We'll go for a while but we will be back."

"Good."

Mac went outside and stretched as he stepped out on the boardwalk. He felt stiff from all that riding. He would be glad when he could lie down on a bed and sleep a while. However, he found it hard to sleep when questions kept entering his mind. This mystery was no different. No one knew who was doing this except the ones who were helping him. Mac frowned at that. It was a dangerous man who had so many men loyal to him and no one else knew what he was up to except from a distance, and he worked in the shadows of others.

Mac walked across the street toward the diner. He felt eerie. He knew whoever this man was could be anywhere and he would know well who he was. Mac did not like hunting someone who knew who he was but he had no idea who he was looking for. He walked into the diner, thinking that maybe he should have gone to the saloon to eat. That was usually where all the gossip went around. He was here now though so he would see what he could find out.

A waitress came to Mac as he entered the dining room. "Hi," she said. "Have a seat and I will be there in a minute."

Mac went over to a table which had a red and white checkered cloth on it. He sat down and picked up the menu which was written on the back of an old train schedule. Of course, there was the usual beef and beans, cowboy stew, eggs and beef with beans, biscuits, and even apple pie, but then there was also vegetable beef soup. Mac had always loved that so he thought he would get that along with a biscuit and a slice of that apple pie. His mouth watered thinking about that apple pie.

Soon, the waitress came to his table. She had blond hair tied up in a tight bun and blue eyes. She was wearing a pink print dress and a white apron that had a few stains on it. "What will you have?" she asked as she took a pencil from behind her ear and took a small notepad from the pocket in her apron.

"I think I will have the soup and a biscuit, and a slice of that pie," Mac said.

The girl wrote that down and then poured him some coffee. "It'll be right out."

Mac leaned on the table and fixed his coffee as he thought of the situation. He felt weary and he yawned. He thought he sure needed a bath too. It had been hot out there in that desert. He supposed he did not smell too good. He smiled as he thought of how he used to do, but after he married Stella, she convinced him that she did not want a stinky man around in her house. He supposed he could go out and send her a telegram and let her know that he was okay. This was the first long trip he had made since they had gotten married. He missed her. Now that he was still, he could think of nothing else.

Mac noticed a man sitting at another table. The man was dressed in a light blue suit and one of those fancy shirts that looked like he should be in a big city in the Northeast. He was smoking a cigar and stared at Mac with blue eyes that seemed to measure people from a distance. He finally got up and walked over to Mac's table. "You're that Marshall from Wyoming, aren't you?" he asked.

"That would be me," Mac replied, thinking the man was rather bold.

"I'm Joshua Withers." He offered his hand to Mac. "I'm glad to know that there's someone around here who is trying to do something about this reign of terror we have going."

Mac shook his hand as he scowled. "Withers?" he asked. "I think I have heard that name."

"Have you? My brother, Carl, owns a ranch outside town. He's been having a little trouble with someone over water rights. I've been here trying to help him settle it."

"Oh." Mac thought it was rather odd that this man decided to try and strike up a conversation. He thought maybe the man was trying to find out if he knew anything about the goings-on in these parts. "Well, I hope you get it settled. Are you a lawyer?"

"I have dabbled in the law before."

Mac tried not to roll his eyes at that remark. He had the feeling that this man had dabbled in "both" sides of the law. "Nice to meet you," he said for nothing better to say.

Withers purposely blew his cigar smoke down around Mac's table. "I'll be seeing you around, Marshall."

Mac glared at the man's back as he rubbed his nose. He had heard that slight inflection the man had put on the word "Marshall". It was almost like a slur. The waitress brought Mac's meal and he took a bite of the soup. It was delicious. It made him miss Stella even more but he would solve this crime spree before he left this town and he thought maybe he had a good lead now. He had to plan what he would do when he got to Carson City. He looked at Joshua Withers who was sitting at his table leaned back in the chair. He seemed to know Mac was looking at him and looked back. They stared at each other a moment. Withers knew he had met his match and he would have to kill that Marshall.

When Mac was done eating, he went to the bath house still wondering about Withers. Adam had told him that Carl Withers had been causing a lot of trouble about water rights, and now here was his brother in town. Mac wondered just when this second Withers had arrived and whether it was at the time that all this crime started. He would have to talk to Roy Coffee about that.

Mac finished his bath and then went over to the Chinese laundry to get his clothes cleaned. They would be done before he had to go leave the next morning. He walked on down to the sheriff's office. Roy was sitting at his desk. "Sheriff, I want to ask you something," Mac said.

"Ask away," Roy replied.

Mac sat down in a chair. "When did Carl Withers' brother arrive?" he asked.

Roy considered that. "Not long ago." He looked at Mac. "Why?"

"Was it right around the time that all this crime started?"

Roy scowled. "Are you saying that he's behind all this? Why, he's about to marry Mary Townsend. He's been visiting and trying to settle down all that trouble out there."

"Really."

"Who is Mary Townsend?"

"She works in the General Store over there."

"How long has she known Withers?"

"I guess they met at the barn dance right after he arrived in town. They just hit it off and before we knew it, they were engaged. They're a right nice looking couple."

"Well, I'll have to be sure and congratulate them."

Roy watched as Mac left the office. He knew that people who were new in town could see things that others did not see at times because they were used to it. Mac walked on out onto the boardwalk. A man came over to him. "What are you going to do about those murderers in there?" he asked.

"We've already told you, they're going to have a trial," Mac said. "That Mulligan in there is probably going to reveal the name of his boss."

"When?"

"Oh, it will probably be at the trial. He wants to make sure it's all legal."

The man looked like he had just got a new horse. "Thanks, Marshall."

Mac chuckled as he watched the man cross the street, eager to spill his gossip. He supposed people did not have much to do in a town like this and some new form of gossip was all they needed to cause a stir. Mac frowned as he looked up and down the street. He knew what that bit of information could lead to. He noticed Joshua Withers standing outside the diner still smoking his cigar. He supposed he could mosey over to the General Store and see what he could find out, but he had a feeling that Withers would show up as well.

Mac sauntered over to the General Store and walked in. It smelled like leather and new material as well as the smell of tobacco. A young woman came from the back of the store. She had brown hair and brown eyes and she was wearing a light pink dress. "Good afternoon," she said with a smile.

"Afternoon, Ma'am," Mac said as he tipped his hat.

"Could I help you?"

"I need a box of cartridges and some of that jerked beef."

The woman went behind the counter and began gathering Mac's order. She noticed Mac's badge. "You're that Marshall," she said with admiration. "I hope you catch those men who are committing all those crimes."

"Me too," Mac replied.

"I'm sure he will," someone said.

Mac looked to see Joshua Withers standing in the door of the store. "Josh," Mary Townsend said with a smile.

"I see you've met my fiancé," Joshua said.

"This is your fiancé?" Mac asked.

"Yes. I was sure the sheriff told you. I figured that was why you came over here."

Mac frowned. "Why would that make me come over here?" he asked.

"You probably wanted to see what kind of woman would be engaged to me."

"That's no concern of mine." Mac paid for his stuff and tipped his hat to Mary. "Ma'am." He looked at Withers as he started out of the store. "Congratulations to both of you."

Mac walked on out thinking that Joshua Withers was rather bold. He was more sure now that that guy was in on this mess. He wondered what would happen tonight after everyone knew that rumor he had started, and he was sure they would all know it very soon…