As Holly and Carpenter enjoyed their stay in the territorial capital unaware of the events happening in their hometown. A man named Stiles had ridden in a wagon pulled by a team. The amount of luggage and boxes he carried gave the impression that he was going to be staying awhile. He made inquiries about his friends Dr. Vincent and Mr Faraday and was outraged when he learned of their demise at the hands of the local savages.

The sheriff explained that they had been warned to avoid the Indian burial grounds at all costs as the Sioux did not wait for explanations and killed anyone they found trespassing there. "If there was danger his friends would have avoided the place, so something must have made them venture onto this sacred land," Stiles said to himself.

Stiles was most upset to learn that all of Dr. Vincent"s books and notes had disappeared. Whomever had attracted his interest had probably stolen them and there was no doubt as to the identity of the culprit. It must have been one of the ones he hunted. Stiles made inquiries around town on whom his friends had been talking to and one name kept coming up and that was Carpenter.

Stiles rode out to Carpenter's ranch and did not receive a warm welcome. He was confronted by a half dozen gun toting ranch hands that basically told him to leave because the owner was not at home. 'Seems like a lot of protection for a simple ranch owner,' Stiles thought to himself as he wheeled his mount around toward town.

That dammed Dr. Vincent, he always wanted to talk to the prey and learn more about them instead of just dispatching them, Stiles thought to himself. That was one mistake that he vowed he would not make. Back in his hotel room he began to unpack his trunks and from a double locked strongbox he removed the silver bullets he had specially made for this trip.

Then fate interrupted his plans.The sleepy town soon became a bustle of activity as it was learned that the railroad crews were less that a mile away. The stages that arrived now carried investors that were interested in starting up businesses in this soon to be a regular stop for the railroad and looking to purchase land.

The towns first order of business was to have a train station built, and that provided employment. The salons and eateries were doing a great business and no one seemed to have time to answer questions that Stiles asked.

Very well, he thought. 'I will bide my time.'

Carpenter and Miss Holly returned home about two months later and after sundown they sent for Marcus and over coffee he provided them with a narrative of the events taking place in town along with the fact that there was a gentleman caller a few months ago that they ran off. Carpenter grimaced slightly as he bade Marcus a good Evening.

Holly saw the look on his face and became concerned.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

"There could be."

"Could be?'

"Yes."

"I do not understand."

"It could be just some businessman looking for land, or it could be another dammed hunter."

"Should we pay him a visit?"

"Yes, I think we should."

About a quarter of an hour later they pushed through the swinging doors of the Cactus Flower saloon. The bartender gave them a hearty welcome and all of Holly's female chums ran to greet her. Holly was shocked on how the place had changed. The wood and brass had been polished, new tables and chairs as well as new gaming tables we also evident. Even the clientele had changed, more business men and less of the trouble makers.

"Ya can blame that on the railroad," Mindy stated.

While Holly renewed her friendships with the girls Carpenter made inquiries about the man named Stiles and was informed that he was staying in the hotel.

"Check the backroom first," the desk clerk said," that's where he has been every night".

So Holly and Carpenter entered the backroom. It too had been done over and was now a high rollers area that did not tolerate the unwashed. They found the man called Stiles seated at a table in the corner facing the door and they approached.

Stiles rose as custom dictated one did when a lady approached your table.

"I am Carpenter and this is Miss Holly," the man said to Stiles.

"Please, be seated," he responded.

"I understand you have been asking around town about me," Carpenter started the conversation.

"Yes, that's true."

"Why?"

"I want to know where you hid the books you stole from Dr. Vincent's room."

"You accuse me of being a thief?"

"No, I accuse you of being a creature of the night. Nosferatu, Vampire or the dead that walk."

"You have a a very active imagination my friend."

"Deny it all you like but I have ways of revealing what you are."

Stiles rolled up the sleeves on his jacket and shirt until the forearm was exposed. He then turned his arm over exposing the underside of it as he extracted a from a knife he had hidden in his other sleeve and made a slashing motion across the exposed flesh. For a second or two nothing happened then the cut welled blood and it began to run down his arm.

Holly let out a hiss and bared her fangs and flew across the table at Stiles.