"Yes," Vernon said, spit, "she has brought this down on us, me." Eyes wondered away, "I let Kai take refuge on my land, and I left her alone."

He searched his weathered face, "Is she a woman, who lives by herself, knows of healing and herbs?"

"Yes," the old rancher shifted, "but even her people have cast her out. The Sheriff has tried to capture Kai, but she is very clever. The whole town ran her out!"

With a nod, he sighed, "Does it cause people to cry a dark liquid, this illness?"

"Weepers," the rancher wiped his brow, "it hit my ranch, the Iron Horse, and a few around town. No one has died, but it has made a lot of people sick, mostly my men. Ones around town have fallen ill, especially those who've wronged the Witch." He pointed a gnarled hand at the red crosses upon doors, warning to others. "They vomit up black worms. It has left Lawson's place alone. He has a way of getting women to do things for him."

To this Cassidy nodded. "Do you have a well on your property, where your men may have gathered water?" he asked, gave the baby a tickle.

"Yes," he bristled, "but this is no ordinary disease."

"This is a tainted water supply," he saw people scurry away from others. "There is no need for quarantine. It should only affect people that have been to your well. Has these people around town been to your place?" Cassidy asked, but the old rancher looked away. "Would anyone want to poison your water source?" the bounty hunter asked. "That fellow, Ruben, wants your land."

"Ruben poison my water," Vernon shook his head, "no, he needs my land and its well. Without something for cattle to drink, the property is useless." The old rancher shrugged, He is a lecherous, faithless man, who had made a virtue of greed. But, he is underhanded. One day, his plots and schemes will come back to bite him."

He glanced at Gregory, "It doesn't get me closer to helping little Gregory. You really think that this medicine woman is behind this?" Cassidy searched Vernon's face.

"Everyone has tried to catch her," he sighed. "I don't understand why she would do this."

"It seems that Ruben has been kind to Kai," Cassidy said, and the fox beside him purred.

The old rancher's face cramped, "Ruben Lawson, he is no Saint! My men followed some of his, and they tried to kill the Witch. All but one died in the attempt, the one who brought some talisman. Some fellow ran him off, before the deed done. Markus Meacham is a stone cold loon, who would shoot most men just for a lark. Ruben sent assassins, and he does all his evil in the dark." Beside Cassidy the red fox growled, barked, before it flew away.

"I," he looked to the little canine, "I guess I'll stay the night, and maybe, I'll see a way out in the light of day."

"Well, take care of the little fellow," Vernon sighed. "I have to head back to my ranch, Iron Horse, and make sure my men are doing fine."

Cassidy watched him stomp away, head down. The red fox watched the old rancher go from under a porch, defiant though strange eyes sparkled. Mumbles escaped Gregory, who took to slobbering on a pudgy fist.

Around him the townspeople scurried. Any house or business with a red cross was avoided; people crossed the street to evade them. Some gripped wooden crucifixes, eyes flew to any that neared. Cassidy watched one man put a hand on his revolver, when another came close. Among the looks of religious terror, he saw the winces, which came from sullied hearts. Eyes fled the grasp of others. Upon their lips was the Witch's name, Kai. Faces twisted at the mention of it, accusation and confession. Though most avoided others, a group of men coalesced into a group that started to grow. Men, when their will was weak, would gather; cowardice could be eschewed in the mob. They would do terrible things, the bounty hunter thought, and heard the idol of their terror grow taller.

Absently, Cassidy withdrew a cigarette, struck a match, but stopped. With a sigh and a curse, he shook it out. Gregory watched it fall to the earth, before the bounty hunter stepped on it. "Sorry," he brushed the infant's dark locks, "all this superstitious idiocy has got me jumpy. Nothing good comes of people in a panic. I wouldn't want to be Kai." He looked at the men, who would soon form a posse, "They have the look of gents ready to hang what they fear."

"The Witch has it coming," a gruff voice cast at Cassidy's back, and a young woman, one who had a little too much admiration for Ruben, chortled.

"We all have it coming," Cassidy turned to them. "What has she done? I know you blame her for the Weepers, but was there something else, something before the sickness?"

"She is a HEATHERN!" the man spat, "a Witch who seduces men with dark charms."

"Kai isn't that pretty," the woman sniffed, crossed her arms.

"No, of course not, Christy," he shuffled, "I don't find such as her beautiful." His eyes searched hers, "I've heard Ruben…likes the pleasure of her company."

"He would never," she stomped a foot.

He held up his hands, "I'm not casting aspersions on his honor. It is just a rumor."

"Good," her chin rose, "I ran her off before, and you made sure she would never come back." Christy smiled at the man, who promptly puffed up.

"What do you mean by that?" Cassidy hard grin grew wide, and both of them shifted under the wolfish, stony anger.

"Kai, she came back after Christy threw a piece of horse shit and hit the Witch in the face," he nodded to her, as she smiled with satisfaction. "Me and the boys caught her, while she was trying to get something for her baby," he laughed. "I had the clothes ripped off her, before she could get out of town," his eyes grew distant at the memory. "If we'd caught her, we would have had a lot of fun," he looked at Cassidy, "she's awfully firm."