In the weeks that followed Mabel found herself working in the saloon as a bar maid. She was surprised when Zack made the offer, but gratefully accepted, she enjoyed the work and soon discovered that most of Bordertown's more decent folks spent alot of time playing cards and drinking.
It was a comfortable atmosphere, except for the odd flare up over a card game or a cowboy who thought saloon girls were something to take advantage of, but Mabel could handle herself and the patrons soon came to realize she commanded respect.
Marshal Craddock appeared every day at noon for his lunch and two or three cups of coffee. She was becoming very fond of him and looked forward to his daily visits.

When Mrs. Duffield complained that she needed a new wash stand, Jack quickly volunteered for the job. "Ain't nothin' ta makin' one 'a those Sally" he assured her. Mabel offered to help, simply as an excuse to spend more time with him. He wasn't much of a carpenter, which was obvious, even to Mabel. She spent many afternoons laughing at Jack's attempts to keep his language proper. Hitting your thumb with a hammer was unpleasant enough without having to worry about a lady being present. There were times when he would let a word slip out unchecked, his blushing face and heartfelt apologies always made her laugh.

It was during that time that they discovered they shared a love for fishing. Plans were discussed for an outing. Marie reminded Mabel that a chaperone was a necessity. "A young woman can not ride off and spend the day alone with a man without setting tongues wagging." she warned her. Mabel didn't care much what people thought. She didn't want a chaperone, didn't see any need for a chaperone, Marshal Craddock was a gentleman and she felt no fear of being alone with him. So, when she spotted him from the window of her bedroom one morning, obviously heading out on a fishing trip, she gathered her things together and followed him on horseback. She arrived at Jordan's Creek just as Jack was making his first cast.

"Where did you learn to fish?", she taunted him as she slid from the back of her horse.

"You easteners don't know nothin' 'bout fishin'," was his reply.

"Really?, Or do you think I can't fish because I'm female?" she challenged.

"Now don't go puttin' words in my mouth woman, I never said that."

She set about looking for something to use as bait. Jack was using worms. Turning over a rock she found a small salamander, she scooped the little guy up before he could get away.... but her heart told her no. She replaced him under the rock hoping Craddock hadn't noticed. He had, but pretended not to.

Mabel was soft hearted when it came to critters, Jack observed. "Wanna use some 'a my bait?" He asked, offering her a sand worm.

"I don't need bait", she replied. "I don't even need a pole." She removed her boots and stepped into the creek, wading up to her knees, it was very cold.

"Yer scarin' the fish!" Jack grumbled.

"You aren't going to catch one anyway, so what difference does it make?" Mabel had watched Gabriel catch fish with his bare hands many times, she had never been able to master it herself, but hoped, just this once, she could do it.

"Can't catch fish without a pole. Didn't anyone ever tell you easteners that?" The marshal teased.

Suddenly Mabel felt something brush past her foot, looking down into the clear water she saw a beautiful big rainbow trout. With one motion she plunged her hands into the water and grabbed the fish, with shear delight she brought her trophy to the surface. The fish however, was not willing to give up without a fight. It began thrashing back and forth, Mabel tried her best to hang on but the harder she gripped it, the more slippery it became. As it flew from her hands it slapped across her face. She fell backwards into the water and the fish swam off unscathed.

Jack was on the shore, doubled over in laughter."You easteners sure got a strange way 'a fishin' ! Should try usin' a pole." He snorted.

Mabel wasn't defeated yet. She made a feeble attempt to get to her feet, then fell back into the water."Jack I think I sprained my ankle, I can't get up."

"Figures" the marshal replied, as he waded into the water to help. "Fishin' ain't fer women." He reached down and put his arms around her waist, Mabel threw her arms around his neck and hauled him under.

Spitting out water as he surfaced, Jack yelled, "Mabel ! What in tarnation are you doin'!?"

"Looks like she's trying to drown you Jack", came the answer. Clive was sitting on his horse watching from the bank and thoroughly enjoying what he saw. Jack got to his feet, picked up his hat, shook the water out of it, then placed it on his head. Always the gentleman, he offered a hand to Mabel who was still lying in the creek.

"When you're done...fishing, we have work to do." Bennett continued. "Seems the bank in Helena was robbed two days ago and the authorities have tracked the thieves to this area."

Sitting on a nearby rock to empty the water from his boots, Jack turned to Mabel, who he noticed was walking without a limp, and told her "You best go home."

"But I can help Jack, I'm a good tracker, Gabriel taught me."

"No!", both the marshal and the mountie replied in unison.

"I think you should go back to Bordertown Mabel, these man are dangerous." Clive told her.

"Ain't no place fer a woman, now git goin' !" Jack ordered. Much to his surprise she didn't argue, Mabel jumped on Abby's back and rode away.

The marshal mounted his horse and as they watched Mabel head towards town, Clive asked sarcastically, "So, was she teaching you how to fish Jack? Or was she trying to...."

"Mind yer business corporal." Craddock cut him off in mid sentence. "We got work to do."

The corporal smiled. He enjoyed tormenting his collegue, and it seemed the marshal was a bit touchy on the subject of this young woman. That made it all the more fun.

They picked up a trial about 4 miles south of Turtle Creek. "Two horses, one ridin' heavy, maybe two riders doubled up. How many d' you say there were?" Craddock asked.

"Three or four", Clive replied. It amazed him how Craddock could tell these things simply by looking at a hoof print. How was it possible? And yet, he always seemed to be right. They followed the trail about two miles, then it turned north.

"Looks like they're back trackin' Clive. Must know they're bein' followed." The two lawmen rode in silence. Jack in the lead, with Clive lagging behind, trying to pick up the trial on his own. He looked everywhere the marshal looked, he saw nothing. "Jack, what exactly do you ....".

"Shhh." Jack put his finger to his lips and quickly dismounted. Clive followed his lead. They teathered the horses to a tree and made their way up an embankment, keeping low. When they reached the crest of the hill they waited in silence, hidden behind the alder bushes. The sound of an approaching horse was a relief to Bennett, as he had no idea what Craddock had thought he heard. "How could you hear that..." "Shh", Jack cut him off again. The horse and rider came into view.

"Mabel !" Jack half shouted, half whispered. "What d'ya think yer doin' out here?"

She slipped from her horse and joined them in the alders. "I followed the bank robbers trail."

"We followed their trail......right Jack?"

Craddock frowned at the mountie, then at the young woman. "I told you to go home!"

"And I was going home, until I picked up their trail about a mile east of town." She sounded pleased with herself. "I told you I can track."

"I don't know who you bin trackin', but me and Clive here have bin trackin' the bank robbers." Craddock retorted.

"Really? How many?" She asked sarcastically.

"Three", Clive replied "or four."

"Well, I found a dead horse and two seperate trails leading from it. I tracked two horses, one rider on each. I figure they went up over that ridge." she said, pointing north.

Clive was stunned. Jack shook his head. "Listen woman, I want you to head back to town right now, this ain't no Sunday school picnic."

"Come on Jack, you know I'm right. There must be at least five of them, they split up to try and fool us." Mabel said, with a matter-of-fact attitude.

The girl knew what she was doin', Jack admitted to himself. Clive was even more impressed, how did she know all this? Why was it so difficult for him follow a trail when Mabel could do it?

"Listen Mabel, the marshal is right. This is a dangerous situation, you shouldn't be here."

"You need me. You're out numbered." She argued.

"Well we can't sit here all day arguin'. If ya ain't gonna listen ta sense then don't come cryin' to me if yer killed." Craddock stated. He moved back down the embankment towards his horse. Clive followed. Mabel walked Abby down the hill and joined them.

"I s'pose ya do know how ta use this?" Jack questioned as he passed her his spare colt.

"Of course, it's the first thing they taught us at finishing school," the young woman smiled sweetly at him. The two lawmen exchanged glances, unsure of the truth in her answer.

Mabel opened the barrel, gave it a spin making sure each chamber was loaded, then she clicked it back in place, stuffed it down the front of her pants and proceeded to climb on Abby's back. "I'll need some spare shells Jack, I'm a fairly good shot, but I'd like to be able to reload if need be."

Without saying a word the marshal passed her a handful of ammunition. She shoved the bullets into her jacket pocket and headed off northeast. For a moment the lawmen looked at each other. Clive was concerned for her safety. Jack was angry at her stubborness. "I'm gonna put that woman in her place, soon as we get back ta town Clive. I can't abide a woman who don't listen to what she's told."

They followed Mabel, who had already picked up the trail. The mountie knew Craddock was annoyed and he couldn't resist getting in a dig, "You know Craddock, it seems to me that you've met your match....except she doesn't smell as bad as you."

Ignoring the remark Jack caught up to Mabel, who was now crouched down on the ground beside her horse. "I seem to have lost the trail." She said looking up at him. "I guess you should take the lead Jack."
Clive saw the satisfaction on the marshal's face and he was disappointed. They rode in silence again for several miles, stopping when Jack stopped, looking for signs. Mabel saw them, Clive didn't.
A sudden burst of gunfire sent them scattering for cover, the horses ran in fear as the bullets flew past them. Clive and Mabel scrambled for shelter behind a fallen oak tree, Jack was several feet away, behind a mound of dirt and rock.

"Can ya see 'em?!" the marshal hollered

"I see two!", Clive called back. "Are you all right Mabel?" he whispered.

"Never better Clive", she said as she raised her gun and fired off two shots.

"They're gonna try and flank us Bennett!" Jack yelled above the gunfire.

"I think I hit one!" Clive answered.

A bullet richochetted off the rock near Jack's head and he sunk down lower to the ground. "How's Mabel doin' Clive?!"

"Ah... she's fine Jack! Just fine!" Bennett quickly scanned the tree line, Mabel had disappeared...she was going to get them both killed! This was no place for a woman. The bullets were flying fast and furious around him and he could no longer keep his attention on looking for the girl. She was on her own.

Meanwhile, Mabel was doing some flanking of her own. Something Gabriel had taught her during their days on the Carlton trail. The trick was, not to get shot by Jack or Clive by mistake. Finding an old tree stump, she crouched down. It was all a matter of timing, if she lifted her head at the wrong moment.....
The bushes around her began to rustle, they were planning to flank the lawmen. Two of the ombres moved past her, she raised her gun at the closest and took him down with one shot. The other whipped around and started shooting before he knew what he was shooting at. It was his instinct of course. But Mabel already had him in her sights, it took two shots, but she got him.

"Clive !, sounds like they're shootin' at each other!" Craddock called to his partner.

"We can only hope Jack!" Clive answered back as he fired another shot.

The air fell silent. Neither man dared to breath. They reloaded and waited for the next round, for certain the attack would come from behind. Clive's thoughts turned to Mabel for a brief moment, Jack would be angry at him for letting her go off on her own. But he hadn't seen her leave, she just disappeared. Maybe she went home. Clive chuckled to himself, that was unlikely, she seemed quite comfortable with a gun in her hand.

"Hey Jack!" They heard Mabel shout from across the battle field. "I was right, there were five of them!" They watched in absolute disbelief as Mabel stepped out from the grove of trees where the robbers had been hiding. "One of them is still breathing, the other four are pretty quiet though," she commented, as she walked in their direction.

"Bennett!" Craddock hollered.

"Yes Jack?"

"How did she get over there?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You must have been so frightened", Marie commented to Mabel as they sat in the restaurant later that evening. "Tell me exactly what happened."

Clive interrupted her,"It's getting late Marie. Why don't you let me walk you home?"

Rising from her chair, Marie agreed "All right, but I want to hear all about it in the morning."

Jack sat staring into his cup. "Ya know, a woman has ta learn to do as she's told." He said to Mabel when they were finally alone.

"You don't have to thank me Jack." she replied.

"Huh?...I wasn't...."

"Good night". She rose from her chair and started towards the door.

The marshal jumped up and followed after her. "I'll walk ya home".

As they made their way along the boardwalk, Mabel slipped her hand inside Jack's arm, just as she had been taught in finishing school. It was the proper way for a lady to walk with a gentleman. Okay, she wasn't the lady her parents had hoped she'd be, but she had her moments. Like now, with Jack. She felt like a woman should. Except she was wearing her deerskins and was covered in dirt from head to toe.

"Why'd you pretend to loose that trail?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently.

"You know what I mean, that trail was as plain as if them ombres had marked it with ribbon."

"I guess I'm not as good a tracker as you Jack, I couldn't see it."

They walked the rest of the way in silence. He knew Mabel wasn't telling him the truth, and the truth was, she hadn't lost the trail. She was as good a tracker as Jack had ever seen.