“No,” Hawk answered. “Things just turned out that way.” He went on to explain to Grover what had happened near Fort Benton, and how it was that he was left with the job of running two killers to ground. “And the trail I’ve followed tells me they came here.”

“My Lord,” Grover gasped after hearing what crimes these men had committed. “We don’t need men like that in Helena. Whaddaya gonna do if you don’t run across ’em here?”

“Damned if I know,” Hawk admitted. “’Cause I reckon I’ll have to admit I’ve lost ’em for sure.” He was sure the ambush that Black Elk and Swift Runner had stumbled into was meant for him. And when that failed, he assumed the two outlaws would continue on to Helena. He had no tracks to confirm it, however. They may have set out in a different direction. “Well, I’m gonna walk around town to see what’s what,” he said after he took Rascal’s saddle off. “Are you gonna lock up that tack room when you leave to go to supper?” Grover said that he usually did, so Hawk said, “I’d like to leave my saddlebags in there. I’ve got a little money in ’em that I don’t like to carry around.” He didn’t tell Grover how much he was carrying in his saddlebags. He was sure that Grover was honest, but if he told him he had Tater Thompson’s share of the Quaker robbery in the tack room, and how much it was, it might worry him to death. “I’ll get some supper at the hotel dinin’ room, then I expect I’ll stop by the Last Chance for a drink and that’ll about do me for the night.”