Since she ran from one end of town to the next, speaking with every widow, daughter, and mother she could find over sixteen years of age, she concluded he was avoiding her. Come dawn, Reese would be unable to avoid her any longer. Though with over a dozen women present, as well as his men, perhaps it would be easier to elude her than ever before. As Mary made her rounds, she was both excited and anxious. If her idea worked, Rock Creek would not be subject to the whim of every band of outlaws and cutthroats that drifted through this part of Texas. The people could make El Diablo leave by a show of force instead of hired murder, and they could continue to keep their homes safe. She wished she'd thought of this before hiring Reese and his friends. Then again there would have been no one to teach them of weapons and killing if not for those same men. Along with her excitement over the possibilities came anxiety over the decided lack of enthusiasm from the Rock Creek women. They nodded and smiled when Mary made her speech, then noted the place and time and wished her good day.
