More convinced now than before, Hawk continued to probe the stranger. He did not miss the small show of alarm on Dinah Belle’s face when he asked about the four men. “I’d say you’re lucky you did. Word I hear is that those four cowards are the bunch that massacred about thirty folks that were headin’ to Helena to build a new church.” As he said it, he watched the stranger’s eyes for any signs that meant he might have touched a nerve.

Booth calmly smiled even though he could feel all the muscles in his arms tightening. “Is that so?” he forced casually. “I hadn’t heard anything about that.”

“We have,” Dinah Belle spoke up. “We heard about all them church folks gettin’ shot down—women and children, too. It took some low-down son of a bitches to do somethin’ like that.” From what she had heard about Booth Corbin, she wouldn’t have doubted he and his men were involved in something like that.

“You’re absolutely right, ma’am,” Booth said at once. “That was a terrible tragedy.” He shook his head thoughtfully. “That kind of news makes it risky for any four men ridin’ together, don’t it? Even if they ain’t ever been anywhere near that place it happened.” He paused. “Where did it happen?” When Dinah Belle said it happened between Great Falls and Fort Benton, Booth said, “Then it was nowhere near us.” Reasonably sure he was right about the stranger now, he asked Hawk, “You campin’ here tonight, or are you goin’ with your friend?”

“If you got any money, you oughta stay in one of them cabins ol’ Bodine’s got back down the river,” Jacob piped up.

“I expect I’ll just find me a place to camp where I can water and feed my horse,” Hawk said. “I reckon Jacob and his grandson will likely start back home.” He hadn’t known about any cabins Bodine had built. Thanks to Jacob he did now.

“Dinah Belle’s gonna fix a big supper in a little while,” Booth said. “I guarantee it would be worthwhile to stay for that.”

“Well, now, that is mighty temptin’,” Hawk said. The conversation was interrupted then when Bodine came from the store with Thomas behind him.

“Grandpa, it’s time to go now,” Thomas said when he saw his grandfather standing by the bar. “We’ve got to load our stuff in the wagon. Come on, I’ve paid for the supplies and paid Mr. Pressley, too.” It was obvious in his tone that he was worried that his grandpa might already be too far into the bottle to come without an argument.