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he had witnessed of the incident, but Dalton refused to leave Jillian’s side. It was because of him that she lay there unconscious. He wouldn’t leave her unattended again. Apparently though, according to the sheriff, there was some confusion as to who was truly at fault. He couldn’t hide his disgust. How could anyone believe that this innocent woman could have possibly been the cause of any of the atrocities that had occurred here?
    Both Chuckles and Jillian were unconscious and therefore unable to explain their sides of the story. Dalton had told the sheriff what he had witnessed. He thought the incident had been pretty clear, but as the sheriff had been making ready to leave, the ticket clerk, of all people, had called the sheriff over to his window and recounted an unbelievably different story. Something about how Miss Grey seemed mentally disturbed and how Chuckles was trying to help.
    “Then that man there,” the clerk said, pointing at Dalton, “barreled in the side door of the station, rushed into the lobby, and knocked Chuckles out cold. Next thing I know, that woman fainted and hit her head. Very convenient if you ask me.”
    Nobody asked you , Dalton thought, fighting to control his rising temper.
    When the sheriff walked back over to Miss Grey to check on her one last time before he left, Dalton took a moment to speak to him. He explained who Miss Grey was, why she was here, and about how his tardiness had caused so much confusion. Just then, Chuckles started to come around, and the sheriff informed him that he would take Mr. Fitzgerald over to the jailhouse until they could sort everything out.
    “As soon as the missus comes around and is able to get about,” the sheriff said, “I’ll be wantin’ ya to come on over to my office to be makin’ sure I got all yer stories straight. I’m sure I’ll have gotten Chuckles’s side by then.” Dalton stood up and started to protest, but the sheriff shook his head. “Now don’t go gettin’ them feathers all ruffled up again, boy. I believe what you been tellin’ me. Chuckles ain’t been no stranger down at the jailhouse over the years.” This did not surprise Dalton. “I ain’t daft in the head. I can see this woman is a genuine lady, as plain as day. Now it’s just a formality, ya see, because of that other witness. I won’t even be makin’ ya bring her inside with ya. She can wait out in yer wagon. Don’t want the sight of old Chuckles causin’ her to faint again in my jailhouse. You just come on in, look over what I wrote down ’bout what you’ve been tellin’ me happened here today, and sign it fer the both of ya. If the story you’ve been tellin’ me is true, you’ll shortly be man and wife anyhow, so I don’t mind ya signing fer the lady.”
    The sheriff paused for a moment and scratched at the side of his head. “Though I can’t figure it, I ain’t never seen no mail-order bride lookin’ as good as that one there. Shoot, if I weren’t already married, I might be signin’ up fer one of them gals real quick-like m’self!” He grinned and gave Dalton a wink. “Though I suspect you’re just one heck of a lucky guy. Bet they only come that good lookin’ one in a million.” He chuckled a bit to himself and then added, “Bet you’re relieved, though. I never figured how any man could go sending off fer some woman, promisin’ to marry her afore he ever even got a good look at her. I’d be offering up some extra prayers of thanks tonight if I was you, boy.”
    He gave Dalton a friendly jab, took one more look at Jillian before giving a low whistle, and turned back to go assist his deputy. Chuckles was being uncooperative, and it took both the sheriff and the deputy to maneuver the big man out through the train station door.
    Dalton took a few steps toward the ticket counter, and the clerk gave him a scowl. He had obviously been eavesdropping. Dalton couldn’t help but clench his fist. He suspected there had been more than