Matt strolled into the undertaker's office and saw the man at his desk with his head down. He was busy with some paper work or some such thing. Matt cleared his throat to get the man's attention.

Jedediah Willowby lifted his head, "Yes?" He looked from one lawman to the other.

"My name is Matt Dillon. I'm the marshal from Dodge City," Matt introduced himself.

"Hum," Willowby said as he stood. "I guess you want to see the dead man from yesterday's bank robbery," he motioned for Matt to follow him into a back room where he had the body of the dead bank robber laid out on his work table. Festus followed the two men.

Matt tucked his thumbs into his waistband and waited for the undertaker to pull the white sheet back from the dead man's face. Matt tilted his head to get a better look at the man, "You recognize him, Festus?" he asked in bewilderment as he looked up to the deputy.

The hill man moved closer and looked down at the dead man's face. Festus then looked up at Matt, "I ain't seen him before in my days," Festus stated as he stepped back and allowed Willowby to pull the sheet back up over the corpse's face.

Matt twisted his lips in thought as he watched Willowby, "You know that fellow over at the sheriff's office didn't offer much. All he told us was this one here was killed," Matt stated.

Willowby rolled his eyes, "That doesn't surprise me in the least," the undertaker said as he walked back to his office at the front of the building.

"Oh?" Matt said.

"Old Dan Warner. He's been bragging about that to everyone. He claims he's the one to shoot this here fellow," Willowby sighed.

"That's jist awful," Festus muttered to himself. "I jist knew I didn't like him fer a reason," the deputy said in a hushed voice to Matt. Matt frowned at Willowby's comment about Dan Warner. "What's that supposed to mean?" Matt asked the undertaker.

Jedediah Willowby chuckled out of disrespect for Dan Warner, "Ole Dan just hasn't shut his mouth about it yesterday morning. I can't even lay eyes on him without wanting to throttle him," Willowby looked Matt in the eye, "I have no use for people like him. I bet he'll travel one hundred miles to the trial," he concluded.

Matt frowned, "Dodge isn't one hundred miles away, but I get the feeling you're right," Matt looked up to see Dan Warner on the boardwalk across the street.

"He's getting right up my nose," Festus sneered.

"I know what you mean," Matt agreed. "Come on let's go and talk to some witnessed," Matt said before he thanked the undertaker and left the building.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sun had risen further over the hills and bathed the barn and house in an orange-yellow glow. Sheriff Parker motioned for his men to dismount. He pointed to Charlie Appleby and then to the barn. Appleby nodded and scurried down the embankment, across the yard to the barn. Appleby slid the brace through the lock and looked inside. He could see Roy Crawford's horse in the stall.

Appleby nodded and then pointed to the house.

Sheriff Parker nudged Howard Bell and the two men slowly moved toward the little homestead. Parker again motioned for Appleby to join them as they neared the front door.

Parker carefully stepped up onto the porch and looked through the window. He could see Crawford in a large chair with bandages around his left thigh. In the corner he spotted Evelyn Sawyer. She slept at the table with her head nestled in her folded arms. Parker assumed that Evelyn had treated Crawford's wound, but he had no knowledge of their relationship.

Parker pressed his left index finger to his lips and ticked his head to indicate to his deputies to get ready. He crept closer to the door and took hold of the knob. He bit his lower lips as he turned the handle. As quickly as he could, Sheriff Parker shoved the door opened and rushed into the room with his gun levelled at Crawford.

Roy jumped at the sudden motion, as did Evelyn. Parker placed himself between Crawford and Evelyn as he watched Charlie Appleby pull the hand gun from Crawford's hand. Howard Bell pulled Crawford to his feet. The wounded bank robber yelped in pain. Crawford glared at the deputy who continued to rough-handle him, "Let go of me," he bellowed at Bell. "Not on your hide," Howard said as he shoved Crawford toward the door.

Sheriff Parker looked back at the woman who was now on her feet, "You all right ma'am?"

Evelyn nodded coyly as she stood behind the wooden kitchen chair. Her eyes shifted from the sheriff's to Roy's and back again. "You let me know if he did anything wrong, all right?" Again Evelyn nodded.

The sheriff moved to the porch, "Get the chains on him, and get him to his horse." He ordered Bell and Charlie Appleby. Both deputies hustled Crawford out to the barn for Crawford's horse. The sheriff followed along.

Evelyn moved to the door and watched as the lawmen took Roy away. Now she had to follow through with Roy's wishes and contact his men at the stage stop. She listened carefully as she heard the sheriff telling his man and Roy that he had asked the marshal from Dodge to come to Spearville and they would decide there where the trial will be held.

Sheriff Parker's hope was to find all of the robbers, so it was going to take some time yet.

Roy bellowed at the deputies for his mistreatment as the shackled his wrists and pushed him up onto his mount. "I'll get you back for that," he growled at Howard Bell who only laughed at Crawford's comment.

Crawford fumed. His eyes lifted to Evelyn and she nodded slightly that she'd heard what she needed to hear in order to tell his men what has happened. He now had to wait for Evelyn to make the journey and for his men to get organized to break him out of jail.