On each body was pinned a note, which read in bold letters the words, ‘BE WARNED, BEWARE. SOON YOU’LL BE DEAD AS THESE MEN’. The ground was covered in footprints and Hawks found they led to a rock which overlooked the river below. Fresh pony droppings were littered about, the Stickles had been there, he was sure of that. Hawks looked down at the flowing river below, the place they had forded was in full view, the dead pony could be seen lying in the water. He rubbed his rough chin, his mind in deep thought. Was that a well-placed shot, or had they been really aiming at the rider? He would never know. Maybe it was deliberately done, just to scare the hell out of us, thought Jack. “Damn them to hell”. He made his way back down to the river to tell the others what he had seen, convinced that
