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robbery happening?”
    “Probably higher than we’d like.”
    “Nonsense.”
    Anna hesitated another moment before she nodded and left the building. If they hadn’t been so close to their destination, Tiffany knew Anna would never have given in.
    Tiffany found Thomas with his eyes open and on her as she approached his cot in the doctor’s one-room ward. “You’re a hero,” she said softly as she sat in the chair beside him. “Thanks to you and a few other brave men, those farmers can go on to their promised land and still afford to start their farms. The doctor says you’ll be fine, but you won’t be leaving this bed for a while.”
    “I’m sorry, Miss Warren. I know your father is expecting you on time and will raise hell if you—”
    “I’ve already telegraphed him,” she said, interrupting Thomas. “He has a friend in town who will escort me the rest of the way. So you can rest easy.”
    Thank God Anna wasn’t there to hear that lie, Tiffanythought, but still she couldn’t help blushing. She didn’t make a habit of lying, yet this was the second time she’d lied to the good marshal. The first time had been when the farmers boarded the train and the conductor had told them that because of the unusual circumstances and the train’s going express to Montana, they’d actually arrive at her destination three days early. Thomas had suggested she telegraph her father to let him know. She’d told him she would, but she hadn’t informed her father. She had blushed then, too.
    She might have agreed to two months of purgatory in the wilds of the West, but she knew the worst part of it wasn’t going to be being courted by a man she didn’t know, it was going to be living under her father’s roof. She didn’t want him to meet her at the train depot, where she was afraid she might cause a scene. She honestly didn’t know if she’d start screaming at him for not visiting her while she was growing up . . . or cry and hug him. Considering the resentment that had built up in her over the years, it was likely to be the former. But either way, she’d prefer not to meet her father in public, so she was glad he didn’t know that she’d be arriving early.
    And Marshal Gibbons didn’t seem to suspect her of lying this time either. He said with a sigh, “I had a feeling there’d be trouble after the farmers boarded. It was just too convenient, that many people crowded in one place, most of them bringing their life savings with them to buy the materials they’d need to start their farms. This land giveaway has been big news in the territory. Figured it might draw outlaws out of their holes to take advantage of it.”
    Tiffany nodded and patted the marshal’s hand, glad the ordeal was over. Now she knew firsthand how dangerous the West really was. Had she really told her mother that she would viewthis trip as a holiday? She’d hated every minute of it since she’d parted from Rose. She just wanted to go home!
    Tiffany stayed with Marshal Gibbons until Anna returned and told her they had to leave now or else they would miss the train. Tiffany had thought there would be a longer delay, considering what had happened. But the dead outlaws had been removed from the train, the wounded had been taken to the local doctor, the train’s engineer and head conductor had informed the local sheriff of the robbery, and now the train was ready to go on its way.
    Tiffany hesitated over leaving the marshal’s bedside. She felt so guilty about his painful injuries, which she was responsible for since he wouldn’t have been on that train if not for her. She almost decided to remain there to nurse him back to health. Almost. But saner thoughts prevailed, mainly that she didn’t know much about nursing, so how much good could she do? And she couldn’t bear staying in this primitive territory a day longer than she had to. She might get stuck in this tiny town if more express trains that wouldn’t take on new passengers