By the time I reached the place where the path split off to the farm, the wagon was around the bend and out of sight. Its wheels clattered though deep ruts and the traces slapped and clinked. It seemed like Tommy was going to get away clean and I was relieved. The marshal was wrong about everything. Tommy robbed the payroll by himself—or maybe with Jimmy’s urging—but Daniel wasn’t part of it. I decided to go back to town. The marshal and the police could go chasing after Tommy for the money. I didn’t care about it.
I’d gone no more than a couple of steps when I heard something thrashing behind me and I turned around. Someone or something moved through the high weeds that separated the road from the path down to the old farm. I went closer to look. About a hundred feet away, I saw Tommy br
