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Sam soon held a glass of fine old whiskey and relaxed in the congenial atmosphere.
    “Now, Sheriff, what is this matter you wish to discuss?” Rolfe asked.
    “It concerns my daughter, Lil.”
    The sheriff’s statement did not surprise Rolfe. Ever since the incident in the saloon two weeks ago, he had been expecting it. Sam Prescott was not one to let things drift past him. By keeping a good eye on the town, he was able to head off problems before they got started. And it was obvious to all in Little that Rolfe and Lillian had a problem with compatibility.
    Rolfe relaxed back in his chair. “What about your daughter?”
    “You need to understand Lil before you can get along with her.”
    “And do you understand your daughter, Sheriff?”
    Sam laughed and shook his head. “It isn’t always easy, but I do my best.”
    It was obvious to Rolfe that Sam loved his daughter very much. “I suppose no woman is easy to understand.”
    “That’s the God’s honest truth, but Lil may be a bit more complex, being she was raised different from most gals.”
    “She is different,” Rolfe agreed. And he wasn’t sure if he minded her unusual nature. Sometimes he found it refreshing and sometimes frustrating.
    “Lil lost her mother when she was six. She died in childbirth, as did the baby.” Sam paused a moment.
    Sam’s faraway look and sorrowful expression hinted at the painful memories that still lingered, and Rolfe recalled his own grief at losing a loved one.
    “My job as sheriff was more demanding then. The town was young and rough. Lil was left on her own more often than not. She learned early to care for herself and take care of me. By eight years of age she was cooking, sewing, and tending the house like she had done it for years. She never really had a chance to be a little girl. She was forced to grow up fast.”
    “When did her interest in medicine begin?” Rolfe surprised himself by asking the question. He was curious, though he couldn’t fathom why.
    “When she was twelve I was injured in a shoot-out. My wound was almost fatal. She stayed by my side throughout the whole ordeal. She watched Doc Talbert work on me, even helped him. After that, she began hanging around the doc, asking questions and pestering the devil out of him. He finally began to take her seriously.”
    Rolfe could see the picture more clearly now. Lillian had lost her mother and sibling and then had almost lost her father as well. She had developed an interest in medicine, in essence, to protect those she loved. Rolfe admired her courage and fortitude at such a tender age.
    “Sometimes, in her zeal to help, she gets herself into improper situations.”
    “Like being in places she has no business being in.”
    Sam nodded. “I can’t keep her away from Susie’s place. One of the girls there is ill.”
    “Lillian should realize the situation she is placing herself in by frequenting that type establishment. I’ve heard several comments from the ladies of the town concerning Lillian’s behavior.”
    Sam raked his hand through his hair. “I know. I’ve been told often enough myself. I keep getting warned that she’s going to ruin her reputation if she isn’t careful.”
    “Have you discussed this with Lillian? She’s an intelligent woman and would surely listen to reason.”
    “Not likely,” Sam said. “She doesn’t appreciate being told what to do. Growing up so much on her own made her independent. She resents any form of intrusion or authority.”
    “Still, ladies are expected to follow certain rules.”
    Sam smiled. “I don’t think Lil feels they apply to her.”
    Rolfe nodded, his expression concerned. “Then the only answer is to find her a husband with a firm hand.”
    Sam’s smile widened and turned into a laugh. “I don’t think a firm hand would suit Lil. The man she marries, if she marries, will need patience and understanding. In other words, he’ll have to love Lil tremendously.”
    “A special type of