As Logan was saddling up his horse, a voice from behind said, "I see your friend Baynes is back." He turned around to see the huge form of Lance Nighthawk. Once again, Jesse was reminded of how vulnerable he was. He hadn't listened to what Baynes had told him. "I reckon you'll be riding off after the girl and her brother then." Nighthawk said.

"You been seein' a lot lately, haven't you Nighthawk. If you got a problem with me pardner, we can settle up right here and now." Logan said, already angry both at the huge halfbreed for sneaking up behind him, and at himself, for allowing Nighthawk to do so. Almost quicker than the eye could follow, Logan's gun was out, cocked, and leveled at the huge halfbreed, who didn't even flinch.

"Hold on boy. Don't jump to stupid conclusions. Things are never as they seem. I'm good with a gun, but probably not as good as you. Dain doesn't think so and I'm not as good as him. He says you almost are. However, I can now see that he was right. The truth is, had I wanted you, I would have taken you just now. Things are never what they seem boy. And I do see a lot."

Logan holstered his pistol and Nighthawk continued. "I know about Lancer, and what happened yesterday. After you left the Boar's Head earlier, I scouted around the town and noticed a spyglass up in the rocks by the spring. I've got one like that myself, only I've got the lens darkened just enough to keep it from reflecting the sun. Your friend Lancer should have known to darken his. That's how Baynes more than likely spotted him. Any Indian would have seen him hours ago. Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you that you were right. The man who shot at you was Jared Ransom. He's holed up somewhere on Tanner's spread right now."

Logan stared at the giant half-breed in astonishment. The man was incredible in more ways than just his size and strength. "How do you know this, and why are you telling me?" Logan asked.

"I like you, for reasons I may or may not decide to tell you. As to where I got the information, one of the Mexicans saw Ransom staying in a shack near his for a couple of days as though he were laying low, hiding from someone. I won't say who, nor will I repeat any of this in court. I figure its enough that I let you know that your guess was right. I also found where he shot at you from and tracked him back toward the Tanner Ranch. Apparently, he waited there for some time, and then four riders pulled up and stopped where he was waiting. They must have spoken for a bit then Ransom left. His trail veered off away from the hacienda toward the northwest, while that of the four riders continued on toward the Tanner hacienda. My guess is that there is probably a line shack up there along the border between the BAR-O and MT spreads. He's likely holed up there waiting for further instructions from Tanner. Tanner's on his way back into town, by the way. The banker is with him, along with several gunmen." Nighthawk said.

Logan was now torn between the urge to follow up the Lancers and the duty to stay here with the Murdoch crowd. "Nighthawk seemed to sense his dilemma and said, "Go on. Follow the girl and her brother. Tanner won't try to tackle Bolton today. When he gets to town, he'll find out about us, and He'll have his hands full there, and win or lose, he ain't gonna want to take on Murdoch as well, not on the same day anyway."

"Do me one more favor then, Lance, if I can trust you." Logan asked.

"You can trust me for now, Logan. Later on, maybe not. What favor?" The giant asked.

"Don't spread the word around about Johnny Lancer and the fact that I'm following him. His presence won't affect your plans with Tanner, at least, not now. A couple of our boys here in town would go after him if they knew, and I don't want that. And also, I know you said you don't like Baynes. But, would you tell either him or maybe Brazos Murdoch what you told me, about Ransom, that is? Baynes may have already left town, but Brazos won't have. I've got to get going if I'm going to catch the Lancers."

"Nighthawk laughed and said, Brazos, huh, the mighty Grizzly bear. My one and only possible rival in strength. I've heard a lot about him. Can't wait to meet him. Yeah, I'll keep my mouth shut about Lancer, even to Captain Fogg and the boys for now. And I'll tell Grizzly--that is, if Baynes isn't around." the giant said winking mischievously.

"Much obliged. I owe you one." Logan said as he mounted his appaloosa and rode out of the livery stable.

As Jesse was riding out of town he reflected on his conversation with Nighthawk. The man was certainly a puzzle. He was well educated, yet could be a savage and cruel as any desperado or Indian. He had always been loyal to Fogg, but for some reason lately, was willing to hold back information from him as a favor to a man he didn't even know whom he claimed to like-- for reasons he was not willing to divulge. Logan was naturally suspicious yet, intuitively, he trusted the man. The thought scared him a bit. A man like Nighthawk was a dangerous as they came.

Though Jesse was strong and extraordinarily agile, he knew that Nighthawk could kill him with his bare hands in an instant, as easily as if he were a three-year-old child. He could ill-afford to place too much trust in the man. He made a mental note never to allow himself to get within reach of those huge hands. To keep enough distance to where he could at least put a couple of 44 slugs in him before the man could lay a hand or knife on him. Jesse was faster, and that was an edge he intended to keep.

He noted the trail Charlene had taken, and that Johnny had followed right on her heels. It was one of three she could have taken, and it was the most round-about of the three. However, it was also the most scenic, which was no doubt the reason why she chose it. It would take her nearly forty-five minutes longer than usual taking the route she had taken. He chose the most direct route. With any luck, despite Johnny's half hour lead, Logan planned to get ahead of him and intercept him well before he reached either Charlene or Apache Springs. From there, well, that depended entirely upon Lancer. It wouldn't be easy to catch Lancer though.

Jesse knew Cleopatra, the huge bay mare Cora Murdoch had given Lancer. If Johnny was riding the horse as hard as he could, there was no way Logan could make up the difference. He doubted however, that Lancer would be riding the mare to her limits, there being no major need to do so. Likely, he'd push her just a bit harder than Charlene was pushing Jezebel. A man on the run would usually try to save his horse for emergencies.

On the other hand, Jesse would match his appaloosa up against any piece of horseflesh in the territory. Maybe not in sheer speed, but certainly in stamina, surefootedness, and endurance. He took to the mountains like a bighorn sheep, could cut cattle all day long, and out-sprint many racing horses. Yet when the short distance racing horse was winded, the appaloosa would keep going strong. This was not true of the average appaloosa, but Tecumseh was no ordinary appaloosa. His parents had been given to Murdoch by the great Comanche chief Ten Bears himself. The mare, had arrived pregnant, and Jesse had bought the colt from Moose, and raised and trained it himself.

The horse was a stallion, since Jesse never gelded his horses, believing that it damaged their spirit. Tecumseh had never given him reason to regret his decision in that regard. Tecumseh was now near his prime, standing about fifteen hands high, and Jesse had full confidence in his abilities, the horse having proven himself in tight situations time after time. Jesse was now calling upon him to do so once again.

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