Dixie sat down on the Chair by her window.
She had to collect her thoughts after this day. In fact she felt that she had to think through a lot of things leading up to poor Joe's murder.
She was sure that Joe was killed to shut him up and she had a strong feeling that it had to have something to do with Emmit Mc Innis, but what?
She seen Joe's face in her minds eye and how it had changed when she had told him about Katherine's visit this morning..
A sense of dread came about her. Maybe Emmit Mc Innis had met with harm, but then that couldn't be because he had left from the Fort for this trip in the company of Private Harrison and Corporal Lyndsey, who were assigned to the task of ensuring Emmit Mc Innis's safety! If something had happened then surely she would have heard about it from one or more of her regulars, them being from the Fort and all. No, something here just wouldn't add up.
Dixie found the grey Mare coming into her head along with the voice of Joe Crawford,
"Don't know his name, strange fellar, asked where the Byway be, rode in last night and said to mind her just for one night. He had come a ways for she was hot and sweatin and plum tired. She's perked up since a good night of hay and rest. I ain't never saw her owner before though and I will say I didn't care much for his manner, but he paid me good. He had a bad air about him though, mean like".

Dixie got up from the chair like someone had lit a fire beneath her. She went straight out her door and almost ran down the Hallway. Catching herself at the top of the stairs she walked down them a clip but without drawing too much attention to herself.
She looked to Adam Henry behind the Bar and with her head indicated towards the Kitchen door.
Henry nodded.

Minutes later Dixie was standing face to face with Adam just to the inside of the Kitchen door, no one else was around now, kitchen workers had long gone Home or out on the floor in the Bar.
"Adam how gone on whiskey were you last night"
"What! asked Adam, with a surprise in his voice like a child would have when caught with his hand in a cookie jar.
"Oh Adam this is important, were you aware of who came and went during last evening at the bar"
Adam thought for a moment then he took a breath, or more like a sigh of surrender and said "some, up till 'bout 11 on the clock I reckon"
"Good" said Dixie. "Now think, do you remember anyone coming in here last night that looked as if they had rode as ways, I mean a long ways"
"No Dixie, not that I recall. Seems to me it was just the usual crowd and the boys from the Fort and those Business men, no-one like a hard rider that I recall...no wait, there was a man. he came in early but see he came to see Mr. Wilmot.
"He was dusty and thirsty though that's for sure" Adam said.
Dixie was silent for a second.
" Adam I need you to think real hard now. What did he look like, had you seen him before?"
Adam Henry wasn't the brightest button in the tin but he was sharp enough when it counted. Dixie was counting on that right at this moment.
" He was tall,well built. Wouldn't look me in the eye. Mean voiced, like he didn't like me. Seemed annoyed that Mr. Wilmot made him wait and even more annoyed that Mr Wilmot had told me to only give him one drink" Adam paused then said "that's all Dixie, that's all I remember"
Adam went on "The Man asked me after a while to let Mr Wilmot know he was tired of waiting so I told him to hang back a bit and I went to the office and asked Mr Wilmot if I should bring the Man over to see him. Mr Wimot said yes, so I did and then....I got busy and had a few drinks and I don't recall seeing the Man leave or nothing. I wasn't paying him no mind after I took him into Mr Wilmot Dix. What's wrong and why you asking me this?"
"Don't fret Adam. I just wondered about something that's all. I have had a hard day you know. Now mind, we didn't have this conversation ok?"
"Why sure Dixie, you ain't gonna say nothing to Mr Wilmot bout me being..eh drinking so much, are you"
Poor Adam she thought.
"No Adam, no" Her voiced softened. "I wouldn't tell Wilmot the time if he asked me...it's ok Adam, really. Don't worry now you best get back out there. Thanks for your help" Dixie rubbed her hand on Adam's arm and he smiled. Relieved, he left the Kitchen.

Dixie went out the back door of the Kitchen into the alley behind the Byway and took a deep breath.
She knew now that she needed to talk to Katherine Mc Ennis again and sooner rather than later. Tonight even.
Then her attention was drawn to a noise in the distance.
She couldn't figure out what it was but as it got louder and closer she knew.
It was men, shouting, angry men.
She sneaked to the end of the Alley where she could see the street in front of the Tavern, making sure to keep herself against the wall of the building and in the shadows.
The noise was getting louder and then she saw them, torches lit coming up the Street. Where were they heading for, the Byway?
Eventually the Angry Mob reached the corner where Benjamin's Office was located.
They stopped there.

Dixie knew the leader of the Mob, Rowzee Ceres,, a twisted son of a bitch to Dixie's thinking and he was carrying a rope as if he was meaning to lynch someone, but who?
Then she heard the window of Benjamin's Office break and her heart turned cold as she realized they had come for Benjamin Huntington. "What on God's Earth would Benjamin Huntington have done to make Rowzee Ceres gather a mob and bring them here to string him up?"
"Twas Just as well that Benjamin left town today" she thought. "Just as well"
Then Dixie caught a glint, a flash of light in the dark. coming from the roof of the Office building and as she looked up towards where the quick flash had came from she saw the shadowy shape of a man on the roof.
"Good Lord, it's Benjamin" she said aloud.

She ran back to the back door then through the Kitchen, out into the Bar to find herself arriving just in time to see Sheriff Conway hurrying out of Wilmot's Office and out the front Door of the Byway and into the Street.