Mary had certain opinions on the matter, but Chris cared little who grazed where. His job was to ensure that the law was followed and that meant making certain the lease was signed. He was supported neither side and didn’t appreciate being caught in the middle, nor having to wait indefinitely in a town he didn’t wish to be in.

For a moment Larabee paused on the porch, considering whether he should join Vin in the livery and see if he could convince his friend to go back and rest. Instead, he decided that Ezra was likely to need back-up and so the gunfighter headed in the direction of the Royal. It was the fanciest of the saloons and the one the gambler was likely to have chosen.

When Chris entered the building, he discovered Ezra standing, watching a game, rather than taking part in it. There was a considerable crowd gathered around the table.

Larabee made eye contact with Buck, who grinned stupidly, a girl in each arm. Chris made his way to the back of the room and sat down at an empty table. From this spot he could monitor both exits and watch Standish’s back. No doubt the gambler was waiting for the perfect moment to enter the game. Then, it was only a matter of time before he won and infuriated those he was playing against.

**********

“New Munich was to be our New World,” Mrs Von Otter explained. “There were one hundred and six of us. We sailed here on ships, piled our belongings onto wagons and came out here together.”

“Were you all German?”

“We were all from the same town in Germany. We decided to start a new life in America.” The elderly lady’s face reflected the memories that were surfacing. “When we came through that gap in the mountains there was nothing here. We built this town with our bare hands. Men, women and children! We worked from dusk ‘til dawn, everyone helping each other. It wasn‘t easy, but they were good times. Good times.”

“You must have been a close community.”

Mrs. Von Otter smiled. “We were. It seems so long ago. Wilhelm was only three. Do you have any idea what it is like trying to look after an adventurous three-year old while travelling on a wagon train?”

Josiah, Nathan and J.D. smiled.

“They were good times. Actually, Wilhelm was lucky. There were a lot of children for him to play with.” Mrs. Von Otter sat and reflected for several seconds. “Elsa was born about four years after we arrived. By then, the town was practically built. Her father was Rutka Schmidt. He owned almost everything in town. They had money. If it wasn’t for the Schmidts’ money, we would have struggled to get the town started, but there were never any money concerns. Schmidt paid for it and we all paid him to use it.”

“But you owned the general store?”

Mrs. Von Otter smiled. “That’s right. My husband and I had a little money and decided that if we were going to start a new life than we had better take a chance and invest in it. Things turned out very well for us.”

“Tell us about Elsa?” J.D. prompted.

“She was a very pretty girl. A nice girl, too. All of the boys were smitten with her. One day this cowboy rode into town. He was a nice enough lad. We hired him to work in the store. His name was James. A friendly boy. He and Elsa fell in love. Her father was furious. Schmidt had already decided that Elsa was to marry John Schultz, the son of the second richest man in town. Keep the money in the family, if you know what I mean?”

“What happened?”

“Schmidt forbade Elsa from seeing James. Offered to pay James money to leave town, but the boy was in love.” Mrs. Von Otter shook her head. “Some say that Elsa and James were going to elope the night James disappeared.”

“I thought they ran him out of town?”

Mrs Von Otter’s eyes grew moist. “Apparently Elsa’s father and some of the local boys ran James right out of town but...” Mrs. Von Otter shook her head again. “We had a horse ready to foal. I went out to the livery to check on her early that morning. James’ horse was still in the stable.” The old lady’s face became distressed as memories of that time in her life came rushing back.

“So he couldn’t have been run out of town that night.” Josiah mused.

“Maybe they ran him out on foot?” J.D. suggested.

Mrs. Von Otter glanced at J.D. and seemed to collect herself. “That is what I have tried to convince myself for forty years.”

“You don’t seem to believe it,” Nathan stated gently.

“The horse disappeared by lunchtime. I thought that maybe James had been run out on foot and that he may have returned for the horse but... he would have collected Elsa too. He was a good boy. Not the type to turn his back and leave her.”

“What do you think happened?” Josiah asked.

“For almost a week I believed that he would return, as Elsa did. But he didn’t. Poor lass. She cried from daylight to dark. Her heart was broken. Ten days after James disappeared, I heard Elsa screaming at her father, “You killed him, didn’t you?!” Everyone in town heard her cries.”

“Do you believe that her father killed James?” Nathan asked, now as intrigued with the story as J.D.

“I don’t know. I truly don’t know. But Elsa believed that he had. Two days later...” Mrs. Von Otter’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Two days later, we heard the church bell ringing in the middle of the night. We all went outside and there she was hanging from the church tower. That dear little girl had taken her own life.” Tears spilled onto the old lady’s face.

**********

Vin wiped his brow with the back on his hand. The tracker slipped his buckskin coat off, taking great care not to stretch his throbbing side. Tanner patted Peso’s neck, the animal nudging him with his nose. It was clear the horse had missed him.

“He’s a nice horse,” the livery hand commented, wandering over.

Vin flicked his eyes to the man but didn’t comment.

“Looks like he’s feisty. I used to have a horse like that. Damn thing had a mind of its own. Only listened to me when he wanted to. Best damn horse I ever had.”

Vin returned to brushing Peso down.

“He’s a big fella. You had him long?”

“A while,” Vin replied.

“He give you any trouble?”

“Sometimes.”

“You interested in selling him?”

Tanner stopped and glanced at the man with a slightest trace of a grin on his face. “He’s not for sale.”

“Pity. So, you’re one of the Larabee Gang?”

“I guess,” Tanner replied, returning to his work. The term always intrigued Tanner. Why wasn’t it the Wilmington Gang or Standish Gang... or better yet, the Dunne Gang? The very thought made the tracker smile.

“So what’s he like? Chris Larabee? I’ve heard that he can be a real... I mean...”

“Yep, he can be a bastard. ‘Course if I hear you repeat that, I’ll ram the words down your throat.”

The stable hand smiled. “You known him long?”

“Long enough.”

“Long enough to...?” the man prompted.

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“I’m just curious.”

“Curiosity can be a dangerous thing. Larabee don’t like people discussin’ him.”

“Oh. Sorry. So, what about you? Where are you from? Sounds like a Texas accent there.”

Vin stopped. “Mister, ain’t you got nothin’ better to do than annoy me?”

“Nope. Me, I’m from Mexico. Moved here about three years ago. I’ve seen the ghost you know.”

“Is that right,” Vin grunted, wiping his brow again. “Hell it’s hot.”

The stable hand frowned. “I wouldn’t have said so. Hey, you’re sweating real bad. You feelin’ alright?”

**********

“You were very close to her?” Josiah asked softly as Nathan offered the old lady a glass of water. She had become quite distressed.

“Her mother was my best friend. It destroyed Greta knowing that her daughter was destined to go to Hell for taking her own life.” The old woman accepted the glass from Nathan and sipped it.

“Mrs. Von Otter, is there really a ghost?”

The elderly lady nodded sadly. “Yes. From the very day after she took her own life, Elsa has been appearing in town. It’s like she’s searching for James. Poor little dear. The first time I saw her I was terrified, but I’m not any more. She looks so sad.”

“Father Tom says she talks.”

Mrs. Von Otter nodded. “She tries so hard to make people understand, but she has no voice to speak with. She’s caught between this world and the next. Poor little dear.”

“So the rest of the town left when Elsa’s ghost started to be seen?”

“That’s right. Only five families stayed.”

“You were right, Mrs. Von Otter. It is a very sad story.”

“Schmidt wanted the best for her but ended up breaking his little girl’s heart. James was a nice boy. He would have fit in here.”

“You really liked James?”

“Yes. He was a nice lad. Friendly and very well mannered. But he had nothing but his horse and the clothes he stood up in. That wasn’t good enough for Rutka Schmidt!”

Mrs. Von Otter’s son entered the room. “Mother, I think that’s enough. You’re getting yourself all worked up again. Gentlemen, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course,” Josiah stated as he, Nathan and J.D. rose to their feet.

“Thank you for your time, Mrs. Von Otter.” The elderly lady nodded.

**********

Chris watched as Buck rose to his feet, his arm around a very well endowed blond. The scoundrel winked at his companion before disappearing out of the batwing doors.

Larabee returned his attention to Ezra. Standish had entered the game and by the look on the faces of the audience around the table, the stakes were starting to become serious.

**********

Wilhelm led the men from the room. “Thank you for letting us talk to her.”

“It does her good to get it out of her system every now and then.”

“You must have known Elsa?” Josiah mused.

Wilhelm nodded. “No one could believe that she would take her own life. She was a good Christian girl.”

“Are you saying that you don’t think that she took her own life?”

Wilhelm shrugged and then smiled. “Look at me. I’ve been listening to Ma too much.”

**********

Vin picked up his buckskin coat, tipped his hat to the livery hand and then headed for the general store. He had assumed that it was hot and he had a slight fever. Now he realized it wasn’t hot and he had a hell of a fever. Time to go and lay down. First, however, he wanted to speak to Nathan. His side was throbbing and there was heat radiating from it that may mean it was infected. The last thing he needed was that on top of the flu.

Nathan had gone to the general store with J.D. and Josiah, so the tracker headed in that direction.

“Bastard will make me drink more water and laudanum. Thinks I’m a damn fish!”

When Vin arrived, the storekeeper greeted him with a cautious nod.

“A couple friends of mine came to speak to Mrs. Von Otter. I’m lookin’ for them.”

“They left about fifteen minutes ago. I don’t know where they went.”

Vin tipped his hat and exited the shop. Ezra was looking for a game so he would have gone to the fancy saloon. No doubt his companions had headed there. Vin wiped the back of his brow again. Hell, he felt hot. For the first time, the throbbing of his side, which earlier he assumed was simply sore because he had been moving around, began to ache with vengeance.

Damn thing must be infected. Great!

Tanner was feeling weak, but he had expected to. He honestly believed that the best way to get back on his feet was to do just that - get on his feet. He was beginning to have second thoughts. He hadn’t even been out of bed two hours and already he felt exhausted!

**********

“Now, where the hell are you takin’ me, darlin’?” Buck demanded. The woman giggled, dragging the scoundrel along by the front of the shirt. The pair entered an alley, hugging the building to avoid the rain. All at once the woman stopped and held her hand up in front of Buck’s face.

“Wait right there, handsome.”

“Huh?” Instantly, warning bells went off in Buck’s head. His hand descended toward his holster.

“Hold it right there, mister!” A voice growled from behind him. Buck froze, his mind moving a millions miles an hour. Two other men appeared at the end of the alley and walked toward him, both with their weapons drawn. The woman moved in behind them.

“What do you want?” Wilmington growled.

“Well, now. That’s a very good question, stud,” one thug stated, smiling.

**********

Vin pushed the door of the saloon open and scanned the room. It was easy to find Ezra. He was at the centre of a huge crowd that were “oooing” and “ahhing.” Tanner spotted Larabee and strode across to him.

“He hasn’t caused any trouble yet?”

“Not yet,” Chris replied, without taking his eyes from the mob around their companion.

“Seen Nathan?”

“He just left. Went to speak to Josiah’s preacher friend with J.D.”

“You need some back up?”

“I’ve got it covered,” Chris muttered. He had not looked up at Vin at all. He wasn’t prepared to endanger Ezra. "Macquaire's been delayed."

"How long?"

"Didn't say."

"Great."

“You should be taking it easy.“

“Yep,“ Vin agreed.

Chris began to shake his head. “I told him not to win. Bastard has no control!“

Tanner smiled and then set off to track Nathan down. If anyone started anything here, Larabee would finish it. Besides, Ezra could look after himself.

**********

Father Tom shook his head. “Sorry, Brother. You just missed them. They were asking to speak to some of the original residents of Peter’s Gap. It seems your young friend has it set in his head to find out what ’really’ happened to Elsa and James.”

Vin nodded his thanks. “They mention where they were goin’?”

“J.D. and Josiah are going to the grain exchange. The dark skinned man mentioned something about going and checking on ‘Ezra‘, if that makes sense.”

Vin sighed. “Musta missed him. Thanks.”

“Are you feeling alright? You’re very pale and appear to be perspiring a great deal.”

“Just a bit warm, Father.”

Vin turned and set off for the saloon. “Normally, I can’t get rid of him. Always millin’ ‘round me like an old she-wolf. The one day I want to see him, I can’t find him!” Vin was feeling ill. He felt hot, his head had started to ache badly and his side was burning. “Damn fever.” It had come on so quickly. He’d been feeling okay a half an hour ago.

Tanner re-entered the saloon and spotted Nathan at the bar. The Texan made eye contact with the healer. Nathan nodded a greeting. Abruptly, the healer’s brow furrowed. He was staring at something outside. Tanner turned to investigate. As the tracker was about to step out of the room, the doors burst inward with such force that one actually left its hinges. Vin sidestepped just in time to avoid being mowed down by the enraged bull entering. Tanner stared dumbfounded at first and then he burst out laughing.

“SHUT-UP, VIN! WHERE DID THEY GO?!” The entire room became silent and then erupted with laughter. Buck, clothed only in his underwear, covered in mud and soaked to the skin, trudged across to Larabee. “The bastards stole my clothes and my gun! Hell, they even took my hat and boots!”

Chris rose to his feet. “When?”

“Only just now. Tied me up and left me.” Thankfully the knots had been done hastily and Buck had freed himself in only a few minutes. “She set me up! That pretty little filly set me up!”

Vin ambled across to the enraged man. “You see which way they headed?”

“Yeah, this way!”

“You see them in here?” Nathan asked, joining the group.

Buck scanned the room and shook his head.

“Come on. Let’s see if we can find them,” Chris stated, trying to suppress the smile on his face. The gunfighter glanced across at Ezra. The gambler was waiting. Larabee nodded.

Ezra cursed quietly, turning to look at the pot he was just about to appropriate for himself. “Gentlemen, it is with great woe and regret that I must fold. We truly must do this again.” With that, the gambler took one final look at the money that was less than one trick from his grasp and then joined his companions. “This is most inopportune, Mr. Wilmington.”

“Shut-up, Ezra.”

“I must say, you are making an interesting fashion statement.”

“One more and I’m gonna bash you senseless, Standish.” Buck was not a happy man.

“At least they left you your underclothes,” Vin chucked.

Wilmington turned and was about to let fly, when he sighed and smiled. “Really would have been makin’ a fashion statement then, huh?”

“Show me where you were robbed,” Vin ordered. “They shouldn’t be hard trackin’ if there was a woman with them. There are hundreds of men’s prints out there. Not many women’s.”

**********

When J.D. and Josiah entered the grain exchange, a young woman greeted them. She looked as if she was in her late twenties, though life hadn’t been kind to her. Her face was hardened with work. She had her hair tied back and she was wearing an apron over her dress. There was the name ‘Marta’ embroidered on the apron.

“What can I do for you?” Josiah decided immediately that this was not a woman to be crossed.

“Ma’am, we’re looking for Mr. Schultz.” Marta looked both men up and down. “What do you want him for?”

“We just want to talk to him about the early days of New Munich.”

A smile formed on the rugged face of the woman. “Some more men in search of Elsa? Sure. Just a minute.” She moved off between some shelves and reappeared with an elderly man beside her. “Grandfather, some more ghost hunters.”

John Schultz nodded to the two men. “What do you want to know?” His tone was harsh, almost impatient.

“John Schultz? Your father and Elsa’s father were good friends?”

“Elsa and I were going to be engaged, if that’s what you mean? Don’t beat around the bush, young man. I haven’t got the time.”

“Sorry,” J.D. apologised.

“You’ve been talking to that gossiping old biddy Von Otter, haven’t you?”

Josiah and J.D. exchanged a glance.

“She just makes it up as she goes. Told so many stories that she’s forgotten the truth.”

“We’d love to know the truth,” J.D. stated quickly. Schultz appeared about to dismiss them, but the look of true curiosity and sincerity reflected in J.D.’s eyes caused him to pause.

Schultz grunted and inclined his head to a table surrounded by a couple of chairs. “First of all, I didn’t kill that good for nothing James! I know that’s what people have been thinkin’ for forty years, but I didn’t do it. Hell, I wanted to, even tried to once, but I didn’t do it.”

“Do you think someone killed James?”

The old man’s eyes narrowed. “What did Gossip Gertty say?”

“She intimated that someone could have,” Josiah stated carefully.

“Huh! First of all, let me tell you that Elsa wasn’t the darling everyone thought she was. I know for a fact that she was seeing three fellas at once before James came to town.”

J.D.’s eyes enlarged. “You’re kidding!”

“Who were they?” Josiah asked.

“Me. Kurt Clink. I never knew who the other one was. Probably Dwight Von Bibra.”

“What happened to Kurt Clink and Dwight Von Bibra?”

“Von Bibra moved away with everyone else. Thought the town was cursed. Clink died a couple of years ago. We sat down and had a good talk a lot of times. We both reckon that old Schmidt did James in.”

“Elsa’s father?”

“Yeah.”

“Mrs. Von Otter said that Mr. Schmidt and some of the local boys ran James out of town. Were you one of them?”

“Yep. James was yella clear through. Ran like hell.”

“But you said that you thought that Elsa’s father killed him?” J.D. tried to clarify.

“I reckon he came back for his horse. Horse disappeared from the livery.”

“Isn’t it possible that James came back for the horse and left?” Josiah asked.

The old men shook his head. “Nope.”

“Why?”

“’Cause, Kurt and I found the bones of a horse about a year later. Saddle was right there with it. Had James’ name on it. Someone did the horse in to cover the fact that they knocked off that lilly livered James.”

“You didn’t like James, did you?”

“Like him?! Smart-ass, two timing, worthless, good-for-nothing horse rustler!”

“He was a horse rustler?” Josiah asked.

“Yep. A couple of months after he disappeared, the sheriff received a wanted poster with his face plastered on it.” Schultz rose to his feet and walked out of he room without warning.

“What do you think?” J.D. whispered to Josiah.

Sanchez shrugged. “I think he hated James.”

“Enough to kill him?” J.D. asked.

“Several times over.”

The elderly man returned and handed a faded piece of paper to Josiah. “I kept it. That there is James, in case you wanted to know what the snivelling bastard looked like.”

J.D. stood up and peered over Josiah’s shoulder. So that was James.