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Page 259

| the animal's flanks unmercifully, then rode away in a fury, his men following him. |

| Ashton and Crispin watched them for a moment. Crispin was the first to speak. "You don't truly believe that Ajax killed Rufus, do you?" he asked, thrusting his rifle into his gunboot. |

| "If I hadn't seen the body of a man killed the identical way that Rufus was, I'd have been less apt to listen to Stanford," Ashton said, turning his horse toward the river. "Because there was a body, and the man was under Stanford's employ, I have to give the bastard con artist the benefit of the doubt." He smiled sardonically over at Crispin. "At least he thinks so anyhow, doesn't he?" |

| "Then you don't believe him," Crispin said, spurring his horse to stay at a steady stride beside Ashton's steed. |

| "Not on your life," Ashton said. "But I aim to get proof. Ajax'll be glad to point an accusing finger at his old enemy. He'll even help place the noose around his neck." |

| "But there ain't no love lost between you and Ajax, either," Crispin said. |

| "True," Ashton said, nodding. "And he just might be the one who is guilty of this horrendous crime today. Perhaps he's even killed Lightning. I'm going to hunt him down and get answers out of him." He lowered his eyes. "But first we must give Rufus a proper burial." |

| "Let's bury him where the stars will shine upon his grave all night long," Crispin said, his voice emotion-filled. "And where he can hear the bleating of the sheep both night and day. Perhaps then he can rest in peace." |

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