Outlaw Train by Cameron Judd Page A

on the train disposed of that leg, figuring everybody would think exactly what we first thought…that somebody lost the leg underneath the train.”
    “Makes a man wonder what’s going on, what the real story is,” Crowe said. He sipped his coffee. “Hell, this town is full of mysteries, if you look close enough. Like who the devil was it I saw looking out of that upper window of the emporium earlier today? I was out in the street talking to old Mrs. Selfrighteous Ashworth. I looked up at that high window on the front of the emporium, and there was somebody looking out. I thought it was old Montague at first, for it was a man’s face and looked like his, but this fellow had a full white beard, and Montague is clean-shaved.”
    “It probably was Montague,” Luke said. “The‘beard’ part was probably just light shining on the glass.”
    “I don’t think so,” said Crowe. “I’m putting a few years behind me, no question of that, but my eyes are still strong.”
    “Anybody can be fooled by shadows and reflections,” Luke said. “I’m not aware of anybody living at the emporium except for Montague himself and his nephew Macky. You know any different than that, Dewitt?”
    Crowe spoke first. “Hell, as much as Dewitt has drunk over the years, he’s probably seen Jesus Christ and Moses working down at the saddle shop while the prophet Isaiah pees in the outhouse out back.”
    Dewitt ignored the jibe and answered Luke. “I ain’t aware of anybody but them two living at the emporium, either. Mr. Montague’s got his big house in behind the emporium, and Macky’s room is off to the side. But nobody lives in that upper part. Up where that window is, there’s nothing but a big old storage attic. I know. I was up there once, carrying something up for Mr. Montague.”
    “My eyes are good. I seen what I seen,” Crowe said.
    “Good Lord, I know what I’m seeing right now!” said Wilton Brand. He was half raised out of his chair, propping himself so he had a better view out the window. “Look at that, gents! You ever seen a woman hauling around such a pair?”
    Every man in the room, save Dewitt, was at the window in a moment. Dewitt closed his eyes and seemed to be praying silently. He knew who they were looking at. Had to be the same woman, Katrinawhoever-she-was, who’d come down the stairs at the hotel that morning he’d had the conversation with Jimmy Wills over in the Gable House. Wanting to avoid the sin of lust, Dewitt knew better than to let himself look out that window.
    The other men clearly had no similar scruples. They stared and commented lewdly and stayed so fixed on what they were watching that Dewitt could tell the moment the woman went out of sight. They all moved as one back to their chairs, shaking their heads as if they’d just witnessed an awesome marvel of nature.
    Wilton Brand, known by all as a lecherous soul, could hardly keep from stirring out of his seat. He grinned at Crowe. “Tell you what, Sheriff, if I was a lawman, I’d find cause to investigate that there woman! Just for the chance to look at her!”
    “I never knew you to need a pretext for looking at a woman, Wilton,” Crowe replied.
    “You’re right about that, my friend!” declared Brand.
    “Well, the law might have good reason to look into what that woman’s doing,” said Dewitt.
    “How so?” asked Luke.
    Dewitt hesitated. “I hate to talk about such things, not knowing for sure. A man’s accusations ought to be firm, you know.”
    Crowe sighed loudly. “Ah, hell, Dewitt, quit fretting over every little thing and say what you got to say.”
    Dewitt nodded. “All right, then. A while back I was over in the lobby of the Gable House, morning hours, just reading my Bible. Jimmy Wills had beenup night clerking and said that all through the night, there was men coming in and going up to see that woman. Katrina…Katrina…”
    “Haus, I think,” Luke said.
    “Yeah. Anyway, Jimmy had it figured she was