But Hawk came to his rescue. “Yeah, come on, Jacob, it’s time to get outta here.” He took the old man by the arm and pulled him away from the bar. With one hand holding his rifle, he was ready to release Jacob’s arm in an instant, if he needed his other hand. Keeping his body half turned toward Booth as he moved back to the store portion of the room, he said, “Thanks for the drink. It was nice talkin’ to you.”

“Yeah, same to you,” Booth returned. “Maybe we’ll run into each other again sometime.” While he felt reasonably sure he was looking at the man who shot Blue Davis, he remained there, casually leaning on the bar. His natural inclination would have been to simply draw the Colt .44 he wore and shoot the man down. He was discouraged from doing so by the wary manner with which Hawk made his exit. Tater had said the man was quick and accurate with that rifle. Proof of that was in the lightning-like way Tater said he took Blue down. And Blue wasn’t slow, so Booth reluctantly stood there and watched Hawk walk out, his rifle obviously ready for instant reaction.

“Who is that son of a bitch?” Booth demanded of Bodine, who, like his wife, was standing there watching Hawk leave the saloon.

“Hawk is his name,” Bodine answered. “This is the first time I’ve seen him in a helluva long time. He came in here about four years ago with a Blackfoot Injun to trade some hides.”

“That’s where I seen him,” Dinah Belle blurted. “I knew I’d seen him somewhere, but I couldn’t place him.” She flashed a wide grin in Bodine’s direction. “I remember, if it hadn’ta been for him, that Injun he was with was fixin’ to scalp you.”

“I’ll tell you somethin’ that might interest you,” Bodine said to Booth, ignoring Dinah Belle’s comment. “He asked me if I’d seen four men ride through here in the last couple of days.” Before Booth could ask, he continued, “I told him I sure did—told him they only stopped long enough to get a drink of likker and went right on, headin’ for Helena.”

“What the hell’s he followin’ us for?” Booth wondered aloud. He didn’t say it, but he had to wonder if Hawk was after the money he and his partners were carrying. That was the only reason he could come up with, since Hawk was evidently not a lawman.

“Ain’t no tellin’,” Bodine answered Booth’s question. “Was that you boys that done that piece of business on them church folks?”