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young doctor's dark eyes caused Devina a moment's concern before he replied quietly, "Somehow I have the feeling the full impact of the incident didn't hit you until you walked into this room. I hope I haven't been responsible for upsetting in any way."
        Startled at the doctor's perceptiveness, Devina shook her head. "Of course not. You've been very kind."
        The rattle of a carriage could be heard outside the door, and Charles Carter turned in its direction. A small frown creased his face as Harvey Dale's voice accompanied the sound of footsteps outside the door. "It seems your father has not hesitated in his return, Miss Dale." Unexpectedly placing his hand on hers, Charles Carter offered her a small smile. "I would very much like to can you Devina, if that meets with your approval."
        The sudden warmth in the young doctor's regard returned a sense of normalcy to the situation, and Devina smiled. "Of course, if I may call you Charles."
        Rising as her father entered the office, Devina was about to speak when an excited cowboy burst into the room.
        "Doc, there's been a shootin ' at the Orient. You'd better come quick."
        Devina felt her smile drain from her lips, and her heartbeat grew ragged. At the cowboy's words, all the cordiality had vanished from Charles Carter's eyes, and she found herself looking into the cold onyx gaze of the gunman once more. But Charles allowed her little time to indulge her fantasy as he grabbed his bag and nodded a brief farewell. Within minutes he was moving through the doorway.
        Her heart was still beating raggedly when Devina lifted her eyes to her father's. Turning, she walked toward the doorway on legs that still quaked beneath her.
        Furious with her own strange debility, Devina seethed in silence. She would conquer this fixation, would forget those cold, dark eyes that had burned into her soul. Willing the strength back into her weak knees, she stepped out onto the sidewalk and hurried toward the waiting carriage. She would not allow fear to become her master.
     
    Chapter III
        Shock holding him motionless for long moments, Ross Morrison slowly raised his head. Incredulous, he focused his gaze on Jake Walsh's sober face as he stood in the doorway of the cabin. When a second sense had made him send Jake into Tombstone for information immediately after the robbery, he had not expected Jake to come racing back at daybreak to tell him…
        "Devina Dale, Harvey Dale's daughter? You're telling me I had her in my hands and I let her go?"
        "Hell, I was just as surprised as you when I heard she was the woman on the stage! Nobody knew she was comin ' in yesterday. From what I understand, not even Harvey Dale knew."
        His gaze following Jake's progress into the room, Ross shook his head. Agitation quickened his breath, and he rose to his feet.
        "I had her in my hands and I let her go. Hell, I had it all right here in my hands. I should have known, should have realized…"
        "Realized what? None of us knew Harvey Dale's daughter was comin ' out west to live with her father."
        "I knew from the moment I saw her… There was something about her, the way she carried herself, the way she spoke. That damned attitude of superiority, as if she was two steps up from the rest of the world."
        The memory of Harvey Dale's face returned to Ross's mind, and he felt a flush of pure hatred suffuse him. He continued in a low voice, uncertain and uncaring if Jake was still listening.
        "Dale has that way of looking at a man with contempt, as if a man's a fool to think he stands a chance against him and his money. He looked at my father that way on that last day in court when he walked off free and clear with my father's claim. And he looked at me that way the day I was convicted and sentenced to prison on the evidence he'd paid for. The hardest part of it all was knowing he was right. Pa and I