”Easy there, Ruth,” Thornton says smoothly, moving to the other end of the bar to refill the woman’s glass. “Everything’s going to be made right, I’m sure of it. We just need to give it a little time.” She pats the woman’s arm reassuringly. ”I know that’s hard right now.”

She returns to Kate. ”Yes, there is a situation here in Lincoln. One that’s taken its toll on some of the folks around here, as I’m sure you can see.”

“I won’t lie to you. If you’re a fair hand with a gun, and money’s your chief concern, you’ll be able to find good paying work quite fast. It shouldn’t take you long at all. In fact, there’s another establishment like mine just down the road, called Wilson’s Saloon, that would make an excellent starting place for that search.”

Her eyes gaze steadily into Kate’s. ”Unless you happen to have a conscience. If you do, well, things become a little more complicated.”

"Shootist huh?  I like the sound of that.  It's... elegant.  But yes I'm very friendly."  Kate smiled.  "You know, the first person eager to wave a lot of money under your nose is usually the wrong side in these... misunderstandings."  She took a long sip.

"Usually."  She looked at Ruth and tipped her hat.  "But not always.  Now I ain't claimin' I have the power to know a man's heart and mind, but I have a purty good nose for what comes out the southbound end of a northbound horse, and I reckon your gentleman caller had a whiff of it about him."

She tapped the side of her glass.  "Now... that there weren't no protection racket, but I do know a shakedown when I see one, but I don't know this particular breed yet.  An' th' Sheriff's in his ditty bag.  There's a lot of money being shuffled around here ain't there?"

”Quite a bit,” Thornton says with a nod. ”Most of it, as you’ve likely already guessed, is tied up in cattle, though there’s also a fair number of farms nearby, along with the occasional silver strike. But the greatest part of this valley is grazing range.”

“To make it simple, there are basically two points of view. One that says there’s plenty of land for everyone to make a fair living on. And one that says there isn’t. I’m thinking you can guess which side holds most of the money.”

She leans back against the shelves behind her. ”I believe that our good Sheriff is hedging his bets. Trying to make sure that he keeps the people who pay the majority of his salary happy. Which means that he looks the other way when certain problems arise.”

“So...some of us have taken matters involving the protection of ourselves or our property into our own hands.”

Kate seemed pleased to hear that for some reason.  "Oh yeah?  I could cotton to that."

Thornton looks over at Ruth, who is taking another sip of her whiskey. From there, her gaze falls to the ground, as though she is momentarily deep in thought.

Clearing her throat, she says, ”Well, here’s the thing. A number of those that have taken upon themselves to watch after Lincoln’s welfare are engaged in a bit of tricky business. They’re trying to hunt down some unsavory sorts who are responsible for a recent crime. A murder.”

Her gaze briefly shifts again to the young man at the door.

”But, there’s another problem that’s come up, just in the last few days. One that has several families here in town pretty upset. If you were to lend a hand in solving it, I’m pretty certain there’d be a reward involved. Not to mention a lot of grateful people.”

“If that’s of interest, I can tell you who to talk to.”

Kate tapped the glass for a refill, then looked at Ruth, and then back to Thornton.

"Is that so? Keep talking..."

Thornton dutifully refills Kate’s glass.

”La Iglesia de San Juan Bautista. The church just across from the old Assay Office. Ask to speak with Valentina Perez. If by chance she isn’t there, I’m sure that Father Narvaez will be able to tell you where to find her.”

Ruth drains her glass, places it on the bar with a loud tap. ”And watch out for weeds,” she adds.

Kate was about to leave but had to ask Ruth about that first.

"Weeds?"

”Brambles,” Ruth responds, not looking up from the bar. Thornton moves to pour the woman another drink. ”Dark colored vines with thorns. Stay clear of them.”

The saloon owner nods. ”Good advice,” she agrees.

"Has that been a problem?  Well... reckon I'll give them a miss.  This... has been enlightening."  She stood, gulped the last of the whiskey and dropped a smattering of mixed coins on the bar as she scooped up her repeater.  Kate knew where she was going next.

The temperature has fallen further when Kate emerges from the saloon, the damp air carrying a faint chill. Lincoln remains as quiet as it was before. Besides Kate, the street’s only occupants are a horse drawn wagon rolling past the courthouse, and the familiar pair of unfriendly loiterers watching from the porch of Wilson’s Saloon.

La Iglesia de San Juan Bautista is a weathered adobe structure that retains a certain stateliness despite its obvious age. The structure is well maintained, the grounds clear of overgrowth and litter. The door, painted a bright blue, stands open, and the sound of voices from within drift out into the misty street.

Inside, the walls have been painted a light blue. Two rows of simple, but well crafted pews, take up most of the large room, which is headed by a long, polished wooden table which serves as an altar. It is covered with a lace tablecloth and several implements of worship, including a cross and chalice, sit atop it.

A small group of children are gathered in the front two pews on the right. A dark haired woman in a calico dress is standing in front of them, speaking quietly.

As Kate enters, a middle aged man in a priest’s collar approaches her. ”Good afternoon, señorita. How may I help you?”

"Mebbe ya can padre."  That's about as congenial as Kate got when she was in such a mood.  "I'm a huntin' up one Valentina Perez."

The priest nods toward the woman who is speaking to the group of children. ”That is Señorita Perez. She is our school mistress here in Lincoln.”

He looks back at Kate, his eyes shifting to the weapons she bears, his expression becoming uncertain. ”There have been some...problems at the schoolhouse, so the niños are being taught here at the church, for now. What, may I ask, is your business with Señorita Perez?”

"That remains to be seen.  Thornton sent me."  Kate smirked just a little.  It always amused her to wonder what story people would tell.  She was curious what the problem would be at a schoolhouse but left it unasked for the moment.

The priest nods. ”Señorita Thornton, she has a good heart. She tries to help those in need here in our town.” He gestures to one of the pews. ”Please, sit down. I will speak to Valentina. Tell her you wish to visit with her. She should be able to step away from the children’s lessons very soon.”

Leaving Kate at the back of the church,  the minister approaches the schoolmistress and speaks with her in a low voice. She looks over at Kate, then nods before returning to her attention to the gathered children.

After several minutes pass, Perez is able to set the children to work on some arithmetic problems, then approaches Kate. She regards the newcomer warily, her gaze lighting for a long moment on the scabbarded rifle at the outlaw’s side before she introduces herself.

”Buenas tardes. Father Narvaez said that Miss Thornton had sent you to speak with me. I am Valentina Perez, the schoolmistress here in Lincoln.”

"She did."  Kate agreed.  "And she indicated you were having a problem, one that the law isn't too animate about."

Perez takes a seat next to Kate, a deep frown on her face. She nods solemnly. ”Sheriff Brady is somewhat...unconcerned about it. My own opinion is that he knows far more of what has transpired than he is willing to say.”

She lets out a heavy sigh. ”Several of the children in town, my students...they have disappeared. I have reason to believe that they are being held captive somewhere. A location unknown to me or their families.”

Kate leaned against a wall and paused for a moment.  "Well.  Ain't that a hell of a thing.  I ain't much of a tracker.  But I got me a few ideas.  So give me a while."

Perez seems genuinely pleased, and surprised, by Kate’s willingness to help. She glances back at the children gathered at the front of the church, her expression darkening. ”I...I was there when they were taken. But I did not see who took them. Or how they did.”

“Some of the children, they did not want to come in from playing. It is...a daily thing. Several had already gone into the school, but I had gone out to gather the rest. That was when they disappeared.”

She looks back at Kate and shakes her head. ”Not all inside the school were taken. But...those that were left...they were so afraid. What they told us made little sense. But, then...some of what we found made no sense either.”

She pauses, then adds. ”I am sure, were you able to find the children and return them, their parents, some of the other townspeople, they would gather some kind of reward.”

Kate waved it off.  "I'll probably get to shoot somebody, that's reward enough.  Are the critters in any mood to say much about what they seen, or is that a bad idea?"

Perez gives a half smile, the first break in her somber mood that she has evidenced. ”Of those that escaped, one of the bravest, and most clever, is little Lyle Baxter. I think he’d be willing to talk to you. His parents, Reed and Kirstine, have a farm directly south of town. They raise chickens and goats and keep a small apple orchard.” The schoolmistress describes the location.

Kate nodded.  Some of them on that infernal stage coach had mentioned they were from here, like what that one feller that nearly made her jump out of her skin.  Between that and this it was a start.  Not much of one but a start.

How was this confronting her father...  didn't matter.  Doing anything at all would help.

"It's enough for now.  If I need to go poking around for you again where would I do that."

”Most mornings and afternoons, I will be here at the church,” Perez answers, “Tending to class or helping with other things. I have a cottage west of town, but right now I’m staying at Patron House, with the Montaño family. Most evenings, I will be there, or at the Montaño Store next door.”

Kate nodded.  "Keep it low key.  For your own sake."