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men, but only to relieve the tension and damp, already weary feeling that seemed to penetrate deep into their bones. Two women in the possession of an outlaw gang was serious business.
    Crandall finally spoke, wiping the rain from his face before he settled his soaked hat back on his head. "Boys are right, Dev. We're losin' time an' light arguin'. We'd best split up and fan out east an' west. If you're headin' into Helena, check in with Sheriff Marley. If they're hidin'
    somewhere near, he might' a' got drift-ain't too much goes on he don't know 'bout." With the heavy cloud cover of the storm, it seemed like it was almost dusk. On a clear day they might have had another good hour's light.
    Dev frowned but kept his thoughts to himself. They were all off on a wild goose chase, but, then, maybe he was better off slipping into town himself. There was more of a chance he could sniff out their hiding place. He told Crandall he'd do that, though he wasn't sure that Marley would be that much help. After all, the gang had been robbing in his jurisdiction now for months, and he hadn't caught them.
    The men were divided into two groups, one riding west under Crandall's lead, the other east with Wells in charge. Though it was an empty hope, Dev wished them luck. He pulled out his rain slicker, then mounted the stallion and headed due south.

    As he rode, he rolled the details of the robbery over in his mind. The gang had purposely waited to hit the stage 'til it was near Langdon, when they could have stopped it anytime after it left Helena. He was sure they'd done it to throw off the authorities, and apparently it had worked. They were headed for Helena, all right, and he'd find them, with or without the help of the town's sheriff.
    As the pitch-black darkness of night settled over the area, Dev continued to follow the stage road south, maintaining as hard and fast a pace as he could over the muddy path whose deep ruts had filled with water. Several hours later he arrived in Penbury, stopping only long enough to inquire if anyone had seen a group of riders pass by heading south. No one had, but Dev had figured on that. They would have skirted the town, stopping somewhere off the trail to rest before they headed for Helena. He bought a few provisions, downed a glass of whisky for warmth, and was mounted and on his way within fifteen minutes.
    It was past three in the morning when Dev finally made Helena. The weather had worsened, and the wind seemed to push him back two miles for every mile he progressed. Most of the town was dark and shuttered, with only a pale glow showing through the window of the sheriff's office; but further down on the "line," the row of saloons and dancehalls was doing a lively business.
    Dev took a minute to stop at the sheriff's office, though he had no illusions about the assistance he'd get. When he entered, a tall, rangy man wearing a deputy's badge was asleep at the desk, his long legs propped up, a hat pulled low over his eyes. Dev, tired and exasperated, took off his dripping, rain-soaked hat, deliberately shaking it off in the deputy's direction.
    The man awoke with a grumble. touching his. dampened shirt before he shoved back his hat to find out who had interfered with his nap. His mood did not improve when he found himself confronted by a man whose narrowed, irritated gaze boded trouble.
    "You want somethin', mister?"
    Dev's slicker continued to drip water on the floor, forming a large puddle where he was standing. "Marley ... where's he at?" he answered tersely, unwilling to share his information with a man who looked as incompetent as he did sleepy.
    "Sheriff ain't here. Now, if you wanta tell me what's troublin' ya ..."
    Dev sighed heavily in exasperation. "When you happen to see him next, tell your boss the stage to Helena was robbed and two women abducted. It was the Stanner gang and I came south looking for them. I'd bet my eyeteeth they're here in town." He slammed his hat on, adjusting the brim so