THE DESPERATE HOURS
By Moira Purnell with
Contributions by Rachel Zander
Beta Reader: Carol Marsella

Chapter 1

Long afternoon rays of sunlight beat down on the dusty yard as the stage pulled closer to the small ranch house, coming to a halt a few feet from the shady front porch. The sunburned driver wearily hopped down from the hard seat as Slim stepped out from the barn, leading a fresh team of horses toward the stage.

"Hot enough for ya, Mose?" he called as he changed the sweaty team.

"Aw, Slim, just keeps gettin' hotter every summer. I swear, this weather ain't fit for man nor beast," Mose chuckled as he wiped a dusty sleeve across his damp weather-beaten face.

Jess stepped out from the kitchen, with Jonesy following close behind him. "Come on, Mose! Complainin' again!"

Mose looked at the carpetbag that Jess was carrying and then at Jonesy's traveling clothes. "You comin' to town with me?" he asked, looking at Jonesy.

"Yeah! Jonesy's gonna spend some quality time in the city," Andy piped up with a grin.

Jonesy scowled at the boy and pulled off his hat, rubbing the inside brim and scratching his head. "Well, if you must know, I'm plannin' on seeing a doctor who thinks he can do something for my sacroiliac," he said importantly.

"Well, Jonesy, if he fixes you up you might actually have to do some work around here for a change," Jess said with a mischievous grin.

"You'd just better behave yourself, Young-man or I may just let you keep doin' all the cooking and laundry even when I come back," he retorted, effectively causing Jess to wipe the grin from his face.

"Oh, no you don't, Jonesy," scolded Slim, throwing a look in Andy's direction. "I don't think Andy and I could last very long on Jess' cooking so don't plan on staying away too long."

"Yeah, Jonesy. I'm a growing boy and I need meals that won't end up killing me," laughed Andy as he winked at his brother.

"Dad-gum it all, you two. Enough already," said Jess as he helped Jonesy into the stage. Once the older man was comfortably settled, Jess leaned into the small space and placed the carpetbag at Jonesy's feet.

"Thanks, Jess," mumbled Jonesy as Jess stepped away from the stage and waited for Slim to finish hitching up the new team.

"Team's all set, Mose. Better make sure the drive is as smooth as possible - you've got a very ornery passenger to contend with," said Slim, laughing as Jonesy stuck his head out the window and playfully shook his fist.

Mose climbed into the hard seat and prepared to set off.

A forgotten Jonesy popped his head out through the small window and waved as he called out his goodbyes. Instantly aware of their old friend, Slim and Jess waved and smiled as the stage disappeared in a cloud of dust.

"Ya reckon he's gonna miss us?" Jess wondered out loud, watching the dust cloud slowly dissipate.

"Oh, probably. But with you doing all the cooking around here, I think we're going to miss him a lot sooner than he'll miss us," quipped Slim.

Jess looked at him with a scowl then he slowly shook his head and looked at the ground, a rueful grin spreading across his face. "You know what, Slim? I already miss him, especially knowin' what chores I'm gonna have to do while he's gone. Maybe he won't stay away too long - I don't know how long I'm gonna last without a decent meal."

Chapter 2

"Slim! Hold up a minute," Jess yelled from the porch, watching his friend ride out across the yard on Alamo.

Slim reined his horse to a halt and turned, leaning over his saddle horn, and looked down at Jess. "What is it? If I don't get out there soon, we're gonna lose half the herd. That fence isn't going to mend itself," he rebuked, frowning at the disruptive delay.

Jess stretched out the damp towel he was holding and draped it over his shoulder. He rested a hand on Alamo's flank and smiled. "Sorry, Slim. Just wanted to see if you're fixin' to be back in time for supper. With Jonesy away, I'd like to know how many plates I should set."

Slim eyed his rugged friend's apron and shook his head in exasperation. "Well, aren't you just the little homemaker? Don't you think you're getting into this a bit much, Jess? By the time Jonesy gets back, you're not going to want to do any of the outside chores anymore."

Jess offered a lopsided grin. "Well, someone's got a burr under his saddle this morning. All right, Slim, I'll set your place at the table. But just for that, I'm gonna make sure I burn your food."

"Really, and what's so different about that?" Slim laughed good-naturedly and pulled away as Jess' hand flew out at him. "See you later, Pard. Have Andy come out and help me when he finishes up with his chores. Oh, and if you finish up with your knitting and sewing, you can come out and help, too." With that, he urged Alamo out of the yard.

Jess turned toward the house and smiled as Andy rushed out from the barn and caught up to him.

"Was that Slim?" he asked breathlessly.

"Yeah, Tiger," said Jess, tousling Andy's dark hair. "And you'd better finish up with them chores so you can get out there and help him."

Andy crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. "But, Jess," he started to say as Jess interrupted him.

"No 'buts', Andy. I'd go out there myself but someone has to stay here to meet the morning stage. Remember, we're expecting some mighty important people and Slim wants us to make a good impression."

Andy rolled his eyes. "Then why'd he leave you here?" he asked with a impish grin.

Jess' eyes flew open at Andy's teasing. "Enough of that," he said with a grin. "Now you get to work; those cows aren't going to milk themselves."

Andy threw down his arms in mock frustration as he watched Jess walk into the house. Although he teased Jess about it, he knew how concerned Jess was about making a good impression. Only a few months ago, the superintendent had fired Jess, and Slim had managed to persuade him to stay in spite of it. The last thing Slim and Andy wanted was for the same thing to occur and Jess was going to do everything in his power to prevent it from happening again.

* * * * *

"Heads up, Jess! Stage is comin' in!" Andy yelled while running out of the barn and hurrying to the house.

He whistled as Jess stepped out onto the porch, clad in neatly pressed dark blue pants and a crisp white shirt. His black boots were polished and his spurs were shiny and clean. "Wow! All you need now is a tie and you'll be ready for church."

Jess glared at him as he rolled up his sleeves. "Well, I figured I'd get cleaned up a mite seein' as you're still around. You can change the teams while I entertain our guests. Maybe persuade that stage official that we are an important place to stop."

"Better not make any coffee for 'em, then," said Andy.

"What? Why not?" Jess asked, perplexed.

"The way you like your brew, you're likely to melt their teeth with it. Remember - Slim wants us to make a good impression, not kill 'em," Andy deadpanned.

The two stopped their playful banter as Mose guided the weary team into the small yard, slowing the horses as the stage approached the house. He dusted his hat off across his knee and stiffly hopped down and stood next to Jess.

"Ooooh, boy! Jess - just who are you fixin' to impress with those duds?" he asked with a sly wink.

Jess scowled and prodded Andy towards the stage. "Go on, Andy, help Mose change the teams while I see to our very important passengers," he said, in a tone that broached no objection.

Mose stood still and smiled. "Don't worry, Jess. No passengers on this run."

"What? But I thought -" Jess was confounded. "Are you sure, Mose?" He stepped closer to the stage and hopped up on the top step to look inside the small passenger compartment.

Mose laughed at his reaction and put a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, Jess. Mrs. Taylor took ill last night so they won't be makin' the trip for a while. Reckon you got all prettied up for nothin'."

"Yeah, guess so. Well Andy, you should probably go help Slim. He'll be wondering where you've been. I'll take care of the horses with Mose here."

Andy looked at him. "You sure, Jess?" he asked, unconvinced and hoping that Jess would find something more interesting for him to do. He hated the thought of mending fences in the hot sun.

"Don't worry - I'll be fine. Sides, Slim will need all the help he can get. I reckon them fences have seen better days. Just make sure you get back in time for supper - I have something special planned," he added with a grin as Andy rolled his eyes at him and marched to the barn to saddle his horse.

Mose and Jess watched Andy ride away then turned to the work at hand. Jess stopped and turned to look at his old friend as Mose reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

"Somethin' the matter, Mose?" Jess asked uneasily.

"Ain't you gonna change out of them purdy clothes, Boy?" asked Mose, eyeing the dust that already covered Jess' white cotton shirt.

Jess looked down and cringed. "Oh, yeah. Well, I reckon it'll come off in the wash. Jonesy always seems to get the stains out…Hmmm, Jonesy…" Jess' brows furrowed. "On second thought, I'll be right back, Mose," he called as he dashed into the house, leaving his old friend to look on in amusement.

Chapter 3

"Now just how did you get yourself wedged in there?" mused Slim as he watched one of his prime heifers stare up at him from a thicket of brush and twisted branches. He frowned as he noted how close the cow was to the edge of the jagged cliff.

"Of all the stupid things to do…" he continued as he contemplated how he was going to get the massive animal out of her quandary. She looked up at him with her innocent dark eyes and mooed plaintively.

"I know, I know. See where being nosey has gotten you? That's why I put up fences." He shook his head with a smile as he thought of what Jess would say if he could hear him trying to reason with a cow.

As Slim took a step closer to the stranded animal, the ground beneath him shook and started to give way. As he felt himself beginning to fall, he looked up, desperate to find something to hold onto. Eyeing a large branch that hung overhead, he reached up with one arm and with considerable effort managed to grip the rough surface of the bark.

Cringing at the long drop to the canyon floor below, and hoping that the ground would be more solid where the heifer was standing, he tightened his hold on the branch and tried to swing himself toward the animal. He winced as he felt the leather of his glove tear and his palm became sticky with blood as the sharp wooden splinters dug into his flesh. With each swing, his momentum only served to carry him closer to the edge.

Slim dangled unsteadily from the weakening branch as Andy calmly rode up and hopped down from his horse, oblivious to his brother's precarious position a few feet away.

As Andy tethered his horse next to where Slim had tied Alamo, he heard a loud crack as the branch to which Slim was hanging started to splinter. Andy quickly scanned the area and when he realized the dilemma in which Slim found himself, rushed toward his brother. "Slim," he called out in alarm, all the while approaching the edge of the cliff.

Slim looked up, panic-stricken as he watched his brother step closer. "Stop right there, Andy," he yelled. "The ground's falling away! Stay right where you are."

"But, Slim," pleaded Andy, trying to find a way to get close enough to his brother to help. Slim's face was flushed and drenched in sweat from the strain and there was blood trailing down his arm from his injured palm.

Andy jumped back in horror at the sound of another thunderous crack as the ground beneath the heifer fell away, taking the terrified animal with it. The deafening noise from the rockslide was soon replaced by chilling silence as the animal and falling debris reached the bottom.

Andy stood in shock, his face a mask of disbelief at the horror he had just witnessed.

"Andy," Slim gasped, holding his aching elbow and trying to swing his body away from the disintegrating cliff-side.
Andy seemed mesmerized by the scene that he had just witnessed and he could not bring himself to look away. Although he had seen Slim and Jess slaughter cattle before, the heifer's violent plunge to her death had completely shaken him and he stood frozen on the spot.

"Andy!" Slim gasped again, desperate to break his brother out of his daze. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

Andy seemed to snap out of it and finally looked up at Slim, tears flowing down his cheeks. Looking down at the dry, cracked earth at his feet, he took a tentative step toward Slim. He jumped back as once again the ground shook and more of the dirt and loose shale fell away only a few feet from where he was standing. He looked up at Slim, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Slim, I can't do anything," he cried in frustration.

Slim took a deep breath and tried to tighten his grip on the branch. "Go get Jess. And hurry, Andy," he urged as he felt his strength begin to dwindle.

Andy nodded and ran to his horse. Looking over his shoulder to where Slim was hanging, his own expression of shock mirrored that of Slim's as the branch split in two and Slim plunged down the side of the cliff, the same way the heifer had gone moments before.

Forgetting all concerns he may have had for his own safety, Andy ran to the edge and watched helplessly as his brother tumbled down the jagged cliff side, hitting small saplings and stones as he continued his horrific decent. Andy let out a tortured cry as Slim's body impacted with a large boulder and stopped only a few feet from the stream at the bottom of the canyon.

Knowing that he could do nothing on his own to help Slim, Andy ran to his horse and spurred the startled equine onward, galloping as fast as he could toward the ranch and desperate to find Jess.

* * * * *

The second stage had just pulled away as Andy stormed into the yard, riding his horse at full gallop. Jess looked up with a frown and rushed to the panicked boy's side. He quickly reached up to grab the exhausted horse's bridle.

"What's wrong, Andy? You got a bear or somethin' tailin' you? You know better than to push a horse like that in this heat," he scolded. Then he noticed the tears and terrified expression on Andy's face. "What is it?" Jess paused and squinted slightly, deeply disturbed by Andy's shattered countenance. "Slim?"

Andy tried to control his sobbing as he let himself fall from the saddle into Jess' waiting arms. He nodded and took a deep breath. "The ground…the ground gave way…. and the heifer…Oh, Jess! You didn't see it…it was horrible. And Slim… I couldn't stop it."

Jess wrapped his arm around Andy's shaking shoulders and led the terrified boy to the porch. He helped him into one of the chairs and knelt in front of him, placing a reassuring hand on his knee.

"Take it slow, Andy. Now what's this all about?" he asked gently, trying to control the feeling of dread that was coming over him.

Andy sniffled and tried to quell his sobbing. "Slim's hurt. He fell," he blurted out as he buried his face in his hands.

Jess stood up and perched himself on the arm of the rocker, wrapping both arms around Andy in an effort to comfort the youngster. His brows furrowed as he waited for Andy to regain control over his emotions.

"Take a deep breath, Tiger," Jess said soothingly. Obediently, Andy inhaled deeply, taking a few shaky breaths. "Good, now tell me exactly what happened to Slim," Jess softly prompted as he held the boy at arm's length and looked into the tear-filled eyes.

Andy exhaled and looked into Jess' concerned face. "Slim was trying to get a cow away from the edge of the canyon and the ground fell away. The cow just fell…oh, Jess! It was the worst thing I've ever seen…then, the branch that Slim was hanging onto broke in half and he fell down the canyon, too." Unable to control himself any longer, he buried his face in the folds of Jess' shirt.

Jess tried to control the tightness in his chest as he rubbed Andy's back. He held the trembling boy close until he could feel him calm slightly then he tenderly took hold of his shoulders and looked into the dark, red-rimmed eyes.

"What do you mean, 'Slim fell'?"

Andy wiped a hand across his damp cheeks. "Slim fell down the side of the canyon - up on the west end of the meadow. But he didn't fall into the stream. He hit a rock almost at the bottom but I couldn't get to him. You've gotta help him, Jess."

Realizing that time was of the essence, Jess let go of Andy and stood up decisively. "Andy, go saddle Traveler while I get a few things we'll need. Oh, and get yourself a fresh mount, we'll have to see to your horse when we get back. Just unsaddle him and cover him with a blanket so he doesn't get chilled."

Andy nodded and offered a weak smile as he jumped up out of the rocker and hurried toward the barn.

Less than five minutes later Jess stepped back onto the porch, carrying his laden saddlebags and a blanket. He waited as Andy led the horses closer to the house then he walked into the yard and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, smiling at him.

"Don't worry, Andy. We'll find Slim and take care of him," Jess said as he strapped the saddlebags and blanket to his saddle. He mounted and waited for Andy to do the same.

The two concerned riders headed out of the yard at full gallop, eager to reach their injured brother and friend.

* * * * *

"Ah, it feels good to be alive, doesn't it, Amy?" sighed the young woman as she gracefully leapt from stone to stone along the bank of the small stream, shivering with delight as she dipped her toes into the cool current and relished in her freedom, albeit brief.

"Be careful, Millie. Remember what happened last time," replied her older sister, a twinkle in her bright green eyes.

Millie rolled her eyes and lifted her skirt, giggling at her sister's shocked expression as Amy noticed that she was not wearing any stockings or shoes.

"You're such a worry wart, Amy. Nothing's going to happen to me. You should come out here; the water feels wonderful on the toes!" She smiled invitingly but her sister held up a delicately manicured hand and shook her head, preferring to return to reading her book.

"Oh, 'little miss proper', you're such a spoil sport, Amy! One of these days, if you can ever take your nose out of your books long enough, you're going to realize that you have been missing out on a lot of fun," Millie continued.

She giggled as she continued to skip about, listening to the soft birdsong and thoroughly losing herself to the pleasure of being outdoors on such a beautiful sunny afternoon. After much persuasion, she had managed to get her father to allow them to leave the confines of their small yard to enjoy the cool water of the stream. Even though she and Amy had to return home soon, she was planning on making the most of her short outing in spite of her sister's objections.

"Look what I found, Amy," she called as she hiked up her skirt and reached for a smooth white pebble just beneath the surface of the clear water. She stopped in mid-motion when she looked up and noticed the shocked expression on her sister's pale face.

Millie dropped the pebble and rushed to the shore as her sister cried out. She reached for Amy's arm, a frown of concern on her youthful face.

"What's the matter?"

Amy looked away and pointed into the distance, trembling slightly and mesmerized by the sight of a tall blond stranger holding his head and staggering ever closer to them. Millie squinted in the bright sunlight and gasped as the figure stumbled and collapsed into the stream. Quickly picking up her shoes, she grabbed Amy's sleeve and led her toward the fallen man.

"Millie! What do you think you're doing?" demanded Amy, stopping and refusing to move any closer.

Millie turned to look at her and doggedly put her hands on her hips. "Well, we can't just leave him there. He's hurt."

"But, he's a man, a stranger! We don't even know who he is or what he is doing on Father's land."

"Yes, Amy, he is a man. How very perceptive of you. Now come on, we have to help him. He'll drown if we just leave him there," replied Millie, again tugging at her sister's sleeve and leading her towards the stranger.

Millie gasped as she cautiously approached the still figure that lay on his side amid the pebbles in the shallow pools. The water around him was already turning crimson as she reached over to roll him onto his back. She groaned with the effort as she tried to move him.

"Amy, come here and help me. He's too heavy, I can't seem to-." She stopped, realizing that her sister had not moved.

"Amy! You get over here this instant!"

Amy jumped at her sister's stern tone and hurried to Millie's side. Together, they rolled the unconscious man onto his back and pulled him out of the water towards the shore. Amy shied away as she noted his bloodstained clothing and bruised and bleeding face.

Millie quickly knelt next to him and removed the bandana from around his neck, dampening the fabric in the cool water and swabbing his brow. Amy hunched closer to her and stared at the man's pale face in the sunlight.

"What do you suppose happened to him?" she asked softly as she knelt behind her sister, unable to take her eyes off the injured man.

"I don't know. I don't think he was in a fight, though and no bullet holes that I can see. Looks like he was thrown, see the dirt on his clothing," reflected Millie, her tone concerned as she pointed to his soiled clothing.

"Thrown from what? He must have taken quite a fall to be injured like that," replied Amy, reaching past her sister and carefully unbuttoning the soaked shirt.

Millie was stunned at her normally timid sister's forward attempts to undress the man but she put aside her concerns as Amy opened the folds of his tattered shirt. She drew in a deep breath as she saw the extent of the damage on the man's chest. Dark black bruises and deep cuts covered his ribs and bits of gravel were imbedded in the mottled ashen skin. As Amy reached over and touched his ribs, he shuddered and moaned slightly. At the sound, she jumped back, blushing as though suddenly aware of her proximity to him.

"You better go find Pa," urged Millie. She stood up and walked over to rinse the bloody bandana in the stream.

Amy nodded and stood up then took off her shawl and handed it to her sister. "Here - you may need this for bandages. I'll be back as quickly as I can," she said as she hurried away, eager to get help for the stranger who fascinated her so.

Millie sat next to the unconscious man and covered his shivering body with her sister's shawl then she gently moved a lock of damp blond hair from his forehead. "Poor man, what on earth have you been through?" she said quietly, as she continued to swab his face and hum softly to him in the mid-afternoon sunlight.

Chapter 4

Alamo whinnied softly and stomped his foot as the two anxious riders approached the jagged cliff and dismounted. While Andy tied the horses to a tree, Jess stepped closer to the fretful horse and softly rubbed his hand against Alamo's flank.

"It's okay, Fella. We're gonna get him out," he said gently, realizing that Slim's horse could sense that something was wrong.

"Come on, Jess. It's over here, but be careful, the ground isn't too firm," said Andy as he tugged on Jess' sleeve and led him to the area where he had last seen Slim.

As Jess cautiously approached the crumbling edge, he pulled out his rope and slung it around the trunk of a large tree that was growing next to the ravine. He tugged on the rope, ensuring himself that it was secure before lowering himself toward the edge. He pushed his hat up on his forehead and scanned the area below, anxiously looking for any sign of his friend while Andy waited nervously.

As Jess lowered himself further over the side of the cliff, the earth above him started to fall away and he tucked himself closer to the rocky outcropping as he waited for the downpour of dirt and stones to subside. Andy cried out as he watched, terrified at the thought of the same fate befalling Jess as had Slim.

"I'm alright, Andy!" Jess' deep voice called out, as he coughed to clear his lungs. He waved his arm and Andy sighed in relief when he saw the tips of his fingers from beneath the edge of the rocky slope.

Jess continued to lower himself down, eager to find Slim. As he approached the bottom of the incline, he flinched when he drew closer to the large boulder and noted the dark blood on the gravely surface. He tightened his grip on the rope and swung his body closer to the large piece of sandstone, resting his boots against it and reaching down to touch the sticky crimson stains.

"Jess," Andy yelled, holding onto the rope and leaning over the edge. "Can you see him?"

"No," answered Jess, throwing up his arms to protect himself as another deluge of earth and stones hurtled down upon him.

As the air cleared around him, he took off his hat and shook the dirt and pebbles from it as he ran his fingers through his hair. He coughed and looked up to where Andy had been standing.

"Andy!"

"Here I am, Jess," came the uneasy reply. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jess called back, cursing as he tried to brush the dust from his clothing. He looked down and cringed when he realized that any tracks that Slim may have left had now been wiped away by the fresh rockslide.

"Help me up, Andy," he called as he started up the sharp incline.

Andy tugged at the rope, watching Jess slip and skid on the loose shale along the surface of the cliff. As the unrelenting flow of dirt and loose stones pummelled him from above, Jess jammed his hat securely on his head and continued the slow ascent, finally reaching the top and pulling himself up and over the edge. As the cliff edge crumbled away yet again, he lunged to safety, pulling the startled boy with him.

As Jess collapsed into the soft grass and coughed several times, Andy gingerly stood up and dusted himself off then rushed to kneel next to Jess, placing a hand on his shoulder and tapping him on the back with the other.

"I'm okay, Andy. Just gotta get some of this dirt out of my lungs. I think I just breathed in half that cliff," Jess said, reaching for Andy's arm as he pulled himself to his knees. He looked back toward the canyon and shook his head. "That's not something I want to do again in a hurry."

"What about Slim? Was there any sign of him?" Andy enquired softly, fearing Jess' answer.

Jess looked down and his shoulders sagged slightly. "I couldn't find him. He wasn't down there."

"But Jess, I saw him fall! What if he fell in the stream? Oh, Jess! Where could he have gone? We hafta find him," Andy cried, standing up and pulling Jess to his feet.

Jess put his hands on the anxious boy's shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "We'll find him, Andy. That water's so shallow right now I would've seen him if he'd rolled into the stream." He tightened his grip as Andy tried to pull away.

"What if he wandered off? After a fall like that, he must be hurt real bad, Jess. What if he's lost?"

"Slim's a smart man and he knows every inch of this ranch, Andy. Why don't you head home and see if he's gotten back? I'm going to ride around a while and see if I can pick up his trail."

Jess tried to smile reassuringly. He didn't have the heart to tell Andy that he felt that finding Slim's trail would be fairly straightforward - there had been a lot of blood next to the boulder where Slim had landed and Jess knew that he was not likely to have gotten very far.

Andy looked at him, uncertainty etched in his young features. The last thing he wanted was to lose Jess, too. Watching Slim fall had almost been too much for him.

"I want to come with you, Jess. Please."

Jess looked at Andy's tearstained face and smiled as he draped an arm across the boy's shoulders and led him over to the horses. "All right, Andy. We'll make a quick sweep of the canyon floor and see if we can't find him. He couldn't have gotten very far," he stopped, not wanting to worry him any further. He hoped that Andy had not realized just how injured Slim was likely to be when they did find him.

Andy smiled at him and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Thanks, Jess."

* * * * *

"I just don't get it, Jess. Where could he be?" Andy frowned, unable to hide the fear from his voice. They had circled the same area twice already and there was still no sign of Slim. "How could he just disappear?"

Jess slowed his horse as he approached the small stream, squinting when he distinguished a muddy boot print leading into the shallow water. He dismounted and knelt to take a closer look at the ground next to the stream, cringing as he noticed traces of dried blood in the stones along the shore. He looked up and quickly scanned the area, frowning as he realized that the boot prints and blood trail disappeared at the water's edge.

Andy looked hopeful as he leaned across his saddle horn and stared down at his pensive companion. "Did you find something, Jess?"

Still kneeling, Jess pulled off his hat and ran a hand through his damp hair, squinting at the bright sunlight. He jammed his hat back on his head and looked up at the boy. "No, it's nothing, Andy." He stood up and slowly walked over to Traveler.

"We should probably be heading back. Afternoon stage will be pulling in soon and someone's gotta be there to change the teams. 'Sides, could be we're not finding Slim because he's back at the ranch by now." Jess tried to sound confident but he could tell from Andy's expression that his attempt was not succeeding. Andy knew as well as he did that, after the kind of serious fall he'd taken, Slim wasn't likely to be in any shape to make it all the way back home.

Andy looked down in resignation and nodded his head.

As the two disheartened riders crested the hill above the relay station, Jess reached out and tapped Andy on the shoulder as he noticed the stage pulling into the yard below.

"Andy, do you think you can handle changing the teams on your own today?" he asked, handing him Alamo's reins.

Andy looked over at him, deep concern on his young face. "Sure, Jess. You want to go out to look for him again, don't you? Without me to slow you down…" he said apologetically.

Jess bit his lip and nodded. "Maybe I can find something we missed earlier today."

"You think you're gonna be able to find Slim before nightfall?"

"I sure hope so, Andy. But if I'm not back in time for supper, don't wait up for me. There's some leftover stew that Jonesy made before he left, just reheat some. I promise I'll be back tonight." He reached over and squeezed Andy's shoulder reassuringly.

Andy tried his best to smile. "I'll be okay, Jess. Just find him. Please." He dug his heels into his horse's flanks and rode away before Jess could see the tears that welled once more in his eyes.

"I'll see ya later, Partner," Jess called as he watched Andy ride down to greet the stage. He pulled back on his reins and headed out again, eager to find his friend and dreading the thought of possibly having to return home without him.

Chapter 5

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