told anyone about our talk, " Ryan ordered, "or you'll end up in
jail."
Lemont immediately gave his word to keep quiet. He found it impossible
to keep his promise, however. He received a visitor an hour later and
simply had to relate every word of the conversation he'd had with the
marshals. He also told his housekeeper, Ernestine Hopper, who just
happened to have a mouth the size of the stuffed bass mounted on the
sheriflf's office wall. A rather dull-witted woman, she also led a
rather dull life, and news such as this couldn't be kept to herself.
She told everyone she knew that there was a possibility of a witness to
the murders, and after retelling the story four or five times, she
stopped using the word "possibility" and made it fact. By the time the
rumor circled around to Ryan and Cole, the story had blossomed into
front-page news in the Rockford Falls Gazette. Convinced the story was
the hottest news to hit town, the reporter had talked the owner into
printing an evening edition. It was the first time in the history of
Rockford Falls that folks were treated to two newspapers in one day,
and needless to say, the special edition caused quite a stir.
Van wanted to kill someone. Cole suggested he start with the sheriff
and then head on over to Morganstaff's house and shoot him and his
damned flowers too. The men, furious and frustrated, discussed the
problem of dealing with Sloan on their way to Melton's restaurant that
evening. They still hadn't talked to the three women. Jessica Summers
and Grace Winthrop had gone to do an errand and weren't expected back
at the boardinghouse until suppertime. Rebecca James was staying at
the hotel, but was too ill to receive visitors. Hopefully she would be
well enough to talk to the marshals tomorrow.
Ryan and Cole had already talked to eighteen of those who had been in
the bank, and thus far, the investigation had proven to be a waste of
time, for they hadn't gleaned one morsel from any of them. No one had
seen or heard anything unusual.
Although darkness was fast approaching, their day wasn't over yet.
After they had their supper, the two of them Were going back to the
boardinghouse to talk to Jessica and Grace.
The few men and women strolling down the street gave the marshals a
wide berth, and as soon as the two men sat down inside the restaurant,
most of the other diners got up and left.
"Does this bother you? " Ryan asked Cole, nodding toward the doorway
where three men were comically tripping over one another in their hurry
to leave.
"No, " Cole answered. "I'm used to it. Every time I'd ride into a new
town, for some reason folks automatically jumped to the conclusion that
I was a gunslinger."
"You were a gunslinger, " Ryan reminded him.
Cole wasn't in the mood to argue with him. He moved back so that the
owner could place the bowls of rabbit stew and a basket of hot bread on
the table.
"If you two don't mind hurrying, I'd like to get you fed and out of
here so my business will pick up." Cole tried to hold on to his