Hawk was short of patience at the moment. When he had gone to talk to Porter earlier, it was with the thought in mind that maybe he should ask for Porter’s help in apprehending the last two members of Booth’s gang. He was not at all comfortable as the self-designated assassin of Booth’s gang. He had been thinking that now that he might have the last two of them in a town with a sheriff, maybe it was time to bring an official lawman in and arrest them. And now, with Porter’s weak suggestion to do just that, he changed his mind. He was not confident in Porter’s ability and feared he might just be in the way.

“I think you’ve got the responsibility of protecting the town from any more harm from this one man, and you might be best utilized by keepin’ a sharp watch on the town. Why don’t you deputize me and I’ll do my best to arrest Booth.”

“Well, I hadn’t thought about that, but I reckon I could,” Porter said. “Like you said, it would be better if I keep my eye on the town. After all, that’s what I’m paid for. If I was to go with you, chasin’ after this fellow, somebody else might think they can get away with somethin’ ’cause I wasn’t here.” Feeling a great deal more comfortable now, he said, “I’ve got a deputy’s badge in my desk. We can make it official.”

“Never mind the badge,” Hawk said, and stepped up into the saddle. “I’ve already wasted too much time.” He rode Rascal out of the stable.

Porter called after him, “Don’t forget, arrest him if you can.”

“Right,” Hawk bellowed. “But it’ll be up to him.” I hope to hell he refuses to be arrested, he thought as he cut Rascal toward the back street and the Capital City Saloon. First, he reminded himself, he had to find Booth. It was nothing more than an assumption that Booth and his brother were staying at the Capital City. But it was a good bet since the saloon seemed to be the usual hangout for any outlaws passing through town. Had he known that when he first got to town, he would have checked that saloon first, instead of the two on Main Street.