said. âLetâs meet at the mercantile.â
âOkay,â Siringo said.
They split up.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Siringo entered the sheriffâs office. There was a time when Pat Garrett would have been there, but since killing Billy the Kid, Garrett had written a book about it and had moved on to Texas, where he was the captain of a company of Texas Rangers.
The present sheriff of Lincoln County looked up from his desk as the detective entered. He was a mild-looking bald man in his fifties.
âHelp ya?â he asked.
âCharlie Siringo,â Siringo said, âPinkerton Agent, Sheriff . . .â
âHapwell,â the man said, âGeorge Hapwell. I know who you are, Mr. Siringo. What brings you to Lincoln County?â
âIâm tracking a gang of rustlers,â Siringo said, âand have reason to believe they rode through here as recently as yesterday.â
âRustlers?â Hapwell asked. âThrough here? How many men are we talkinâ about?â
âAt least a dozen,â Siringo said.
âSir, if a dozen men had ridden into this town yesterday,â Hapwell said, âI would know about it.â
âSo youâre sayinâ they didnât come through town?â
âThey did not.â
âTheir trail leads right to the edge of town.â
âI donât know what to tell you,â Hapwell said. âA dozen men did not ride into this town yesterday, or in the past week.â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Clint found the doctorâs office, helped Horn down off his horse, and took him inside.
âCan I help you gents?â a short, straw-haired man asked.
âAre you the doctor?â Clint asked.
âI am.â
âYouâre a little young,â Horn observed.
The doctor studied Horn and said, âProbably only a year or two younger than you. However, if one of you needs a doctor, Iâm what youâve got.â
âThis man was shot several days ago,â Clint said, âand against his doctorâs orders, heâs been riding. Weâd like you to take a look at the wound.â
âOf course,â the doctor said. âStep through that door, please.â
Clint helped Horn through the door and onto an examining table. The doctor followed them.
âI can take it from here,â he said to Clint.
âIâll be outside,â Clint replied. âThanks, Doc.â
As soon as he left the room, the doctor closed the door.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
âOkay,â Siringo said, âso a dozen men didnât ride into town. Have any strangers been through town?â
âWell,â Hapwell said, ânow that you mention it, three men did ride into town yesterday.â
Siringo wondered if the sheriff was really this stupid.
âAnd did they stay overnight?â
âNo,â Hapwell said, âthey went to the mercantile, and then left.â
âSo they were in town for . . .â
âMaybe an hour.â
âAnd you knew about this how?â
âI happened to be in the mercantile at the time.â
âSo you know what they bought?â
âSome supplies,â Hapwell said. âI donât know exactly what. Youâd have to talk to Wendell Court. He owns the store.â
âThank you, Sheriff.â
âDo you think those were your men?â
âSome of them.â
âSo where do you think the others went?â Hapwell asked.
âProbably just waited outside of town.â
âI hope you catch up with them.â
âYeah, Sheriff,â Siringo said, âso do I. Thanks for your help.â
âSure,â Hapwell said. âLet me know if thereâs anythinâ else I can do while youâre in town.â
âI will.â
âAny idea how long that might be?â Hapwell asked as Siringo walked to the door.
âNo, idea,â Siringo said. âI have a