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

Chapter 5

"Amy," bellowed the old man as he stiffly got down from the buckboard and stretched his aching back, recalling with perfect clarity why he so rarely left the confines of the small farm, especially with the buckboard. The ride back had been anything but smooth and he had tried to hide his trail as much as possible by following the stream, and somehow managing to hit every rut and rock along the way.

"Where is that girl? Amy!"

He looked at his youngest daughter and frowned as he walked to the back of the wagon and pointed to her ailing charge. "He any better?"

"I don't think so, Pa. It seems as though he's even paler now than when we first found him and he's really shivering in spite of the heat," she said softly as she cradled the unconscious young man's head and swabbed his forehead.

"Well, he isn't gonna get any better staying in the buckboard. Where is that sister of yours? AMY," he called again, causing Millie to flinch at his deafening tone. "I'm gonna need all the help I can get getting him into the house. I'm not as young as I used to be and he's no small package."

No, he certainly isn't a small package, thought Millie as she gently lifted his head from her lap and scooted herself out from under him then propped his head against the soft blankets she'd been sitting on. She reached for her father's hand as he helped her get down from the buckboard.

"What is it, Father?" asked Amy, hurrying toward them. As she neared the wagon, she couldn't help but stare at the unconscious man.

"About time you got out here; didn't you hear me calling you?" Amy looked up innocently as he continued, "Well, never mind that… Just help your sister and me get this poor lad into the house. Millie, you grab hold of his legs as best you can and Amy, you get the door. Is there a place where we can put him?" he asked as he struggled to lift Slim's limp body from the wagon.

"Yes, Father, he can rest in Millie's bed - it's longer than mine," replied Amy as she rushed to the front door and held it open.

Amy waited anxiously as her sister and father endeavoured to get the unconscious man into the house as gently as possible. Ben carefully laid Slim on the small bed and stepped away, wiping a sleeve across his sweaty brow and breathing hard from the exertion.

As Millie took a seat across the small room and dabbed her flushed face with her shirtsleeve, Amy immediately went to work trying to make the young man comfortable. Kneeling beside the bed, she gently touched his cheeks and forehead and looked up at her father in concern.

"We need to get him out of these wet clothes. He has a fever and he's shivering; we won't be able to keep him warm otherwise. But I don't think I should do-" she stopped and looked at her father, blushing slightly and hoping that he would understand.

"Don't worry, Amy. Millie and I will take care of that. You just heat some water and prepare as many bandages as you think we're likely to need. Looks to me like it's gonna take a lot of wrapping to get him to hold together." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he stepped closer to the bed and gently pressed his palm against Slim's torso. "His ribs are all caved in and last thing we need is for him getting pneumonia."

Amy nodded and smiled in relief as Millie stepped closer to the bed and began to unbutton Slim's shirt. As she reached for his belt, her father put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"No, Millie. There are some things a man doesn't take too kindly to. He may be hurting right now and not very aware of what's going on, but I reckon he'll appreciate it if I take care of this part. Why don't you go help Amy in the kitchen? Won't take long, then you girls can get to work taking care of this poor fella proper-like," he said with a wink.

Millie reluctantly stood up and walked to the kitchen, looking back over her shoulder as her father drew the curtain to the small room, wishing she could do more to help the man. But she could understand what her father meant. Although she had very little experience with people in general, and especially with men, she did not share Amy's timidity. She was eager to find out what had caused the man's serious injuries and she looked forward to hearing what he could tell her about the world he had come from.

* * * * *

The day's last warm rays of sunlight had long since given way to an eerie chill as Jess rode dejectedly into the shadowy yard. An unexpected drop in temperature had replaced the balmy heat of the day and he shivered as he turned up his shirt collar and looked up at the cloud-covered moon. Great, just what we need…bad weather. Why is it when it rains, it pours? Gusty winds had started to pick up and the evening sky continued to darken overhead as storm clouds rolled in, mirroring Jess' mood.

Exhausted and stiff from hours in the saddle, and discouraged at his failure to locate his injured friend, he slowly dismounted and removed Traveler's saddle then he led the weary horse to the barn. Jess took his time feeding and brushing him down, stalling as long as he could while he tried to think of a way to break the news to Andy.

As he stepped out from the barn, he cringed when he saw Andy's hopeful face beaming at him in expectation through the front window. Realizing that he had to face the truth sooner or later, he hurried to the house, frowning as he felt the first cold raindrops bouncing off his dusty clothing.

Andy met him in the doorway. He tugged at Jess' sleeve and led him into the house. "Did you find him, Jess?"

Jess shook his head as he hung his hat on the peg next to the door and dropped his heavy saddlebags, closing the door with his back. As the door slammed shut behind him, he slumped against it and looked at Andy, his tanned face the picture of despair.

Andy gently touched his arm and looked directly at his crestfallen friend, his bottom lip trembling as he fought the flood of tears he'd been holding in check all afternoon. "You couldn't find him, could you?"

Jess slowly shook his head and looked down for a moment then he straightened up and walked toward the kitchen. Andy followed silently, watching as Jess dropped his gloves onto the small table and poured himself a cup of coffee. Andy pulled out a chair and sat down while he anxiously waited for Jess to speak. He could tell that Jess was trying to compose himself and he knew that whatever his friend had to say was not going to be pleasant.

Jess took a few more sips from his cup then walked over to the table and perched himself on the edge. He sighed deeply as he propped a leg up on the chair next to Andy and put his cup down. He gently rested a hand on Andy's shoulder, wishing he could find the words that would stem the flow of tears that was coursing down the youngster's cheeks. Slim always seemed to know just what to say to allay Andy's fears but he couldn't think of anything reassuring to say.

"I tried, Andy…I found a few boot prints, but I couldn't follow them. The tracks led into the stream but from there," he stopped speaking and shook his head sadly, not knowing how to go on. "It's almost like he just disappeared into thin air." He couldn't tell Andy that he had found a lot of blood along Slim's meandering trail and he feared what had happened to his clearly injured friend once he had walked into the stream and ostensibly vanished.

Andy jumped up from his chair, eye-level to Jess, and wiped his damp cheeks. "That means he had to walk out of there, Jess! He must not be as badly hurt as we thought," he said, his face almost glowing at the thought.

Jess looked at him and smiled weakly. Trust Andy to latch onto the one positive thing to come out of this whole mess, he thought grimly.

"Reckon not, Andy. I'm gonna head out again, as soon as I get a bite to eat and a fresh horse," he said, flinching as the unmistakable sound of thunder roared through the small room. "And a raincoat," he added, shaking his head.

Andy looked up, fear in his eyes. "But Jess, how are you gonna find him in the dark? Sounds like there's a really bad storm comin' in. Some of those trails are torture to follow when it's light out; how you gonna manage when it's so dark?"

Jess looked at him and sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Andy was right. He could do nothing for his friend in the dark, and with the rain coming down with a vengeance and washing away any trace of Slim's trail, he wouldn't stand a chance of finding him until daylight. He could just imagine what was going through Andy's mind as he stared into the fathomless dark eyes.

"Okay, Andy. I'll stay here with you tonight and head out at first light."

Andy threw himself into Jess' arms and hugged him tightly. "Thanks, Jess. I couldn't take it if something happened to you, too."

"It's alright, Partner. I ain't going anywhere." He smiled as reassuringly as possible, waiting for Andy to compose himself again. As Jess felt the day's exhaustion catch up to him, he took hold of Andy's shoulders and held him at arm's length. "Why don't you heat me up some of that stew?"

Chapter 6

Amy hummed softly and wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders as she listened to the heavy downpour and booming thunder outside. Normally, the sound of the rain calmed her but the unusual events of the day and the violence of the summer storm outside had shaken her.

As she was startled by the sound of yet another thunderclap, she stared at the sleeping man and wondered how he could stay asleep through the noise. She had offered to sit up with him so that Millie and her father could get some much-needed rest. Although Millie had teased her about it, even she had agreed that, with his high fever, it was important that someone stay up and make sure he was taken care of overnight. Amy had not wanted to admit that that was not the only reason for wanting to stay up - she knew she would not be finding any rest until she had time to mull over the day's events.

As he moaned and stirred uneasily, she stood up from her rocking chair and hurried to his side. She carefully sat next to him on the bed and bathed his forehead with a cooling cloth, rinsing it as the heat from his brow immediately warmed the cool compress. Although his flushed face was hot to the touch, he was shivering and she wrapped another thick blanket around him.

She had tried to persuade her father to fetch the doctor in town but he had adamantly refused, saying that doctors weren't worth the trouble.

His words echoed through her mind as she clutched the injured man's hand and rested her head on his chest, hoping to offer him a measure of comfort on such a cold and stormy night. Way back when, only person who took care of your ma when Millie was born was our neighbour, Mrs. Sherman. Even knowing how sick she was, no doctor wanted to make the long trip out here and I'm never going to forget that. On the day your ma died - God rest her soul - I made a promise that no doctor would ever set foot in this house so long as I was alive, so you'd best pray he makes it, Amy.

* * * * *

"Jess?" whispered the soft voice through the sound of rolling thunder. "You awake?"

As lightning lit up the cluttered little bedroom, Jess turned onto his side and looked down at the small figure curled up in Slim's bunk. Darkness once again enveloped the room, and Jess rolled onto his back and clasped his hands behind his head.

"I'm awake. But you should really try to get some sleep, Andy. You had a long hard day and tomorrow'll probably be just as hard," he said softly.

Jess could hear the bunk creak and the sound of blankets rustling as Andy tried to get comfortable. Knowing how much he was missing his brother, Jess had suggested that Andy sleep in Slim's bunk and the boy had eagerly taken him up on the idea.

"Where do you think he is, Jess?"

Jess closed his eyes and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "Knowing Slim, he's likely found a warm, dry place to hold up during the storm."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah, Partner. He probably-" a thunderous crash shook the bedroom and the entire back yard lit up. Jess sat bolt upright and quickly hopped down from his bunk. He ran to the window to see what could have caused such a ruckus.

Andy slipped out from beneath the covers and rushed up behind him. "What was it?"

Jess' eyes grew wide as he saw flames of fire licking up from the roof of the barn. Momentarily stunned, he could only stare in shock as smoke bellowed from the small building.

"Jess! Come on - the barn's on fire! We gotta get the animals out!" Andy cried, tugging at his sleeve and breaking him out of his stupor.

Jess grabbed his boots and hauled on his pants as he and Andy rushed out the back door. Despite the blinding rain, the fire was spreading rapidly and thick black smoke filled the night sky.

"Andy! Quick - I have to get the horses out!" yelled Jess, trying to make himself heard over the howling wind and thunder.

Andy watched helplessly as Jess ran into the barn, coughing at the noxious smoke and struggling to see. Less than a minute later, several startled horses ran out of the burning building but there was no sign of Jess. Andy tried to get closer to the barn but the heat from the flames was unbearable.

"JESS!" he yelled, frantically trying to locate his friend through the thick smoke.

Hoping the rain would help douse the flames, Andy filled a bucket with water and rushed at the fire, tossing the contents of the bucket at the burning walls with all his might. He knew that he had to find Jess but there was no way he could hope to get close enough to the barn to do anything if he didn't get the fire put out first.

As the heavy rain finally extinguished the worst of the flames, Andy wearily dropped his bucket and approached the smouldering building, cringing as he looked at the damage inflicted by the fire. Although the barn was still standing, much of the roof had caved in and the entire back wall was gone. All the hay that Slim and Jess had worked so hard to prepare for the long winter months had gone up in smoke and almost the whole barn would have to be rebuilt before it could be used again.

Andy squinted through the dense smoke as a dark figure with a blanket draped over his head staggered out from the blackened barn, leading Traveler. Realizing that Jess was still alive, he whooped for joy and ran to him, throwing his arms around the coughing figure. As Andy squeezed him gratefully, Jess pushed him away and cried out in pain as he fell to his knees. Stunned, Andy stepped back and pulled the dripping blanket from around his friend's shoulders.

"Jess," he gasped, noticing the burns on his friend's hands and the blood across his brow. He eyed Jess' blackened and bloodied torn shirt and gently touched his arm. "What happened?"

"Just help me get the horses into the corral, okay Andy? I'll be fine, nothin' serious - just painful is all," said Jess, trying to mask the pain in his voice as he slowly stood up.

Andy seemed unsure but one look from Jess sent him racing across the yard after the horses. Jess gingerly draped Traveler's bridle over his arm and led the skittish horse toward the small corral, wincing as he tried to open the gate.

"Here, let me, Jess," Andy said as he rushed forward and unlatched the gate.

As Andy herded the horses into the corral, Jess leaned against the fence post and smiled. "Thanks, Partner."

Andy finished up with the horses and closed the gate then he hooked his arm around Jess' and both silently walked back toward the house through the cold rain. Although Andy could tell that Jess was deeply disturbed by what had happened, he did not understand the haunted look that had appeared in Jess' eyes, a look he had never seen before and one that frightened him.

As soon as they stepped into the house, Andy grabbed the blanket from the couch and slung it around Jess' shaking shoulders then helped him into his rocker. Hoping that a cup of coffee would soothe Jess' nerves and help to warm him up, Andy hurried to the kitchen to heat some water but he continued to watch the forlorn figure shiver as he rocked next to the fireplace. He could see that Jess was trying to put up a brave front for his sake but after what had happened, he no longer seemed to have the energy to keep it up. This was one of those times when Jess needed him to be supportive and he wished he knew the right thing to say to him. If only Slim were here - he always knows what to say to cheer Jess up.

As the water started to boil in the kettle, Jess gingerly stood up and walked into the kitchen, coughing slightly as he wiped a sooty sleeve across his face.

"Should get cleaned up and try to get some rest, Andy. With the fire and this blasted rain, we're gonna have a lot of work to get done come morning," he said gravely.

Andy looked at the small clock in the corner and handed him a cup. "It'll be morning in a couple of hours, Jess. Not much time left for sleeping tonight."

Jess winced as he tried to grip the handle on the cup. Unable to hold onto it with his injured fingers, he finally resorted to setting it on the table then leaned over and sipped from the lip of the cup. Andy started to shiver as he watched his friend struggle.

"You should change out of them wet clothes, Andy. Last thing you need is to get pneumonia," Jess said quietly.

Andy tried to smile as he pulled out a chair and sat down across from Jess. "Aw, Jess. You're starting to sound just like Jonesy."

Both sat quietly as his words hit their mark. Jess finally gave up trying to drink his coffee and he pushed his chair back, standing and wrapping the blanket around his shoulders as tightly as he could with his injured hands.

"Come on, Partner. Two hours is still two hours and we both need the rest." He waited for Andy to blow out the lamp then both headed for the small bedroom and the warmth and comfort of their beds.

Chapter 7

Jess stepped out onto the porch as his old friend hopped down from the hard seat and walked closer to him. "Mornin', Mose! How're the roads after last night's storm?"

"Oh, I've seen worse." Mose looked at the charred remains of the barn then at Jess' bruised face and bandaged hands and shook his head. "Sure looks like you had a busy night," he said casually. He stepped closer to the porch and lowered his voice. "Jess, Superintendent's on board this mornin' and he's lookin' none too pleased at the shape this place is in. Where's Slim?"

Jess lowered his head and leaned against the door. "You mean Taylor's here already? I thought he wasn't gonna be here for a while, what with his wife taking ill and all," he said quietly, frowning as a well-dressed young man stepped down from the stage.

"I reckon he decided to get the inspectin' done while she's laid up. What happened round here, Jess? Looks like you fought a war in this yard," said Mose, frowning.

"More like we lost a war, Mose. Lightning hit the barn last night, and without Slim and Jonesy to help, Andy and me did the best we could."

"Looks like you did more than that," he said softly, pointing to Jess' bandaged hands. "Is it bad?"

Jess shook his head and tried to ignore the stinging pain in his hands. "Nah, Mose. I've had worse before…" he stopped suddenly, his mind haunted with memories he thought long buried by the passage of time.

"You okay, boy?"

Jess smiled weakly and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't get much sleep last night. Slim's away for a few days, so Andy and me have twice as much work to do."

Mose raised an eyebrow but wasn't able to question him further as the superintendent stepped onto the porch and gripped him by the shoulder.

"Mr. Mose, shouldn't you be helping with the teams? That is, if there are any fresh horses…" He looked at Jess and stuck out his hand. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure. My name is Taylor - I'm sure I don't have to tell you that I am the Superintendent for the stage line. You must be Slim Sherman's top hand, am I right?"

Jess gritted his teeth in pain as he carefully shook the man's hand and nodded his head. "That's right - Name's Harper, Jess Harper."

Taylor smiled tightly and nodded. "Good to finally meet you, Harper. It looks like you've had some trouble since the last time I was through here. What happened?"

"We had a little problem last night - lightning hit the barn roof and that's all that's left of it. Spooked the horses so they're in the corral. Don't reckon they're in much shape to pull the stage this morning but a good day of rest will fix that. The next relay station will have a fresh team, Mr. Taylor."

Taylor looked unsure as he glanced at Mose.

"Oh, sure, Mr. Taylor. Now that the heat wave is over, this team can go almost all the way to Cheyenne on its own steam. We'll jes let em rest a bit; then we can be on our way," he added encouragingly.

"Fine, that will give Slim and I a chance to go over a few figures. Now Harper, if you'll take me to him, I'll get on with the business at hand." He looked expectantly at Jess.

Jess just shook his head and watched Mose step off the porch and walk away in Andy's direction. "There may be a problem with that, Mr. Taylor," he started to say as the man spun around to look at him.

"What do you mean, a problem? Isn't Slim here? I was sure that he would be here to meet with me. Didn't you get my letter?"

"I'm afraid Slim's away for a few days. He had to go out of town unexpectedly but I reckon he'll be back soon. I'm sorry about this, but Slim thought that, with your wife ailing, you wouldn't be making the trip out here till she was feeling better. Why don't you come into the house and I'll get you a cup of coffee," he said amiably, pushing the door open with his shoulder and escorting the gentleman into the living room.

Taylor looked around, appraising the small area. "Been a while since I've been in here - I keep forgetting how small this place is," he said as he watched Jess walk toward the kitchen.

"Yeah, but it suits us fine," Jess said lightly as he eyed the cups of coffee that Andy had prepared earlier. He reached over to pick one up, trying not to spill and almost succeeding.

"Oh, here. Let me do it," Taylor offered as he reached for the cup and sat down at the small kitchen table.

"Now, just what were you saying about Slim being away? Whom did he leave in charge?" he asked, eyeing Jess' gun belt that was slung over the back of his chair.

"Uh, well, that would be me, Sir. He leaves me in charge while he's away," said Jess, taking a seat across from the unexpected company man.

"Just you?" he asked incredulously. "It must be a lot of work for just one man to do. And you look like you've had a rough night," he said, pointing out Jess' injured hands and bruised face.

"No, there's Andy, too. That's his brother, the one who's helping Mose outside."

"Oh. A little young for this type of work, don't you think? No matter. Do you happen to know when he'll be back?" he asked as he sipped his coffee.

A look of concern crossed Jess' face and he took several deep breaths before answering. "He didn't actually say when he'd be back but he shouldn't be away for very long, not with the amount of work there is to do around here," he said wistfully.

Taylor smiled sympathetically as he reached into his small briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers. He held them up and looked at Jess. "It's been a rough couple of months for the stage line so we're cutting back on a few of the routes." He paused as Jess looked up anxiously. "Don't worry, Harper. It just means that you may only see one stage go through each day, and none if there aren't enough passengers. I'm hoping this will only be a temporary problem…. These are the financial statements that Slim needs to see - they'll explain all of this. Will you see that he gets them?" he asked mildly.

Jess nodded and took the thick stack and placed them on Slim's desk. Taylor reached over to close his briefcase, and then he stood up and walked to the front door. As he turned the knob and held the door open, he looked back at Jess, who had followed him through the small living room.

"You'll forgive me if I don't shake your hand, Mr. Harper. I wouldn't want to do any more damage than you've already managed on your own. Please let Slim know that I'll be in Laramie for at least another week but likely longer, so if he'd like to discuss any of his financial statements further, he simply has to arrange to meet with me. Well, I certainly hope that the next time we meet will be under more pleasant circumstances. Until then, I bid you good day."

He straightened his suit coat and hurried across the muddy yard, waving to Jess as he stepped up into the stage and closed the door. Andy looked up from the yard and rushed to Jess' side when he noticed his ashen complexion.

"See ya, Jess," called Mose from the stage as he spurred the team on and took off up the hill.

Jess sagged against the porch rail and looked down at his boots. Andy reached out and gently touched his arm.

"Are you okay, Jess? Your hands bothering you?"

Jess looked up and smiled sadly. "Nah, Andy. It's not my hands. I just don't like having to lie like that. But I couldn't tell Taylor why Slim isn't here, and he really needed to talk to Slim. Come into the house with me. I think we need to talk," he said as he pushed himself off the rail and led the way through the open door.

Andy silently followed him, deeply concerned at Jess' behaviour, having never seen him act this way before.

Chapter 8

Jess settled himself in his rocker by the fire and rocked back and forth, his eyes dark and serious and his mood as gloomy as the sky after a storm. Finally, he stopped rocking and his eyes settled on Andy, who quietly sat on the floor at his feet. He would have to tread very softly, Andy had suffered enough during the past few hours and here he was pouring salt into the open wound. But it had to be done; he had to face up to it. The only good thing that Jess could see was that he was the one doing the telling and not some stranger.

"There's no easy way to say this, Andy. I won't lie to you, and it's not going to be easy to hear, but you have to hear it." Jess spoke gently and the boy looked up from his position on the hearth.

"Yeah, Jess?"

"About Slim." Jess began calmly.

"What about Slim?" Andy asked cautiously.

"Well, he hasn't come back and if he were able to, you know he'd be here." Jess lowered his eyes in an effort to hide his own pain from the boy.

"What are you trying to say, Jess?" Then realization struck. "You're saying that he's not coming back." Andy hurriedly got to his feet. "Aren't you, Jess? You think, you think he's dead. Well you're wrong, he's not dead." He glared angrily at Jess.

Jess raised his eyes to Andy and met the pain and anger head on. "Andy," he began quietly and rose to his feet.

Andy shook his head. "You're wrong, Jess, you're wrong. HE'S NOT DEAD, JESS. HE'S NOT, HE'S NOT," Andy screamed. He ran into the bedroom and slammed the door behind him.

Jess waited patiently, knowing that Andy needed time to sort out his feelings. He didn't have to wait very long, for moments later the bedroom door creaked open and Andy ran to Jess and threw his arms about his waist. Jess could only hold his injured hands in the air.

"I'm sorry, Jess, I'm so sorry," Andy sobbed.

"I know, Andy." Jess soothed then groaned as Andy bumped one of his roughly bandaged hands.

Andy pushed away from him then reached for Jess' wrists and looked into the pained eyes. "Your hands - oh, Jess, you've got to get your hands looked at properly. Come on, I'll hitch up the buckboard and…"

Jess smiled weakly as he looked at Andy, seeing a young man standing before him instead of the child he felt the need to protect. "I'll be fine, Andy. Besides, some of Jonesy's ointment on my hands and I'll be right as rain in a few days, you'll see."

"No 'buts', Jess. Your hands are badly burned and you need them tended to by a doctor. Slim would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't take care of you. Now no arguing, I'll drive." Andy's tone was stern; he wasn't going to let Jess mess with him.

Jess smiled. So much like your brother. "You're right, Andy. The way my hands are, I reckon can't ride for very long and it's going to take time if I'm going to find Slim."

* * * * *

Mort Cory was the new sheriff in town and as soon as Mose told him what had happened out at the Sherman place, he hurried to the livery to saddle his horse. Matt Sherman had been one of his oldest friends and when he heard that Matt's boys were in trouble, he needed no prompting to ride out and see what he could do to help. As he was stepping back out into the street, he saw Andy and Jess drive by in the buckboard and stop outside the doctor's office. He handed his horse's reins to old Jake who ran the livery and hurried along the dusty street toward them.

Andy was helping Jess down when Cory reached them. He could see that Jess' hands were bandaged and he carefully assisted Jess to the sidewalk. "Mose told me what happened. I was just fixing to ride out and see if you boys were alright."

"We're alright, Sheriff. Can't say the same for the barn, though," Andy replied as he opened the office door for Jess and he and Cory followed Jess inside.

"No heavy work for you for at least a week and no riding. The burns aren't as bad as they could be but you've got to give them time to heal, Young-man," the doctor admonished sternly as he carefully wrapped Jess' hands. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Jess had sat quietly during the whole procedure and nodded his head at the doctor. How was he going to find Slim if he couldn't ride? This impossible situation was becoming more and more intolerable and harder to bear.

Sheriff Cory stepped forward as he saw the determined look of defiance appear on Jess' rugged features.

"You heard the doc, Jess. No riding. Young Andy here has filled me in about Slim and I know you'll be wanting to go out there again to look for him, but injured like you are, it would be madness and you know it."

Jess glared defiantly at the lawman's words.

Mort Cory had seen the same look on the faces of others who lived by the gun, and he knew what it could mean. Although he had only known Jess for a short time, he was well aware of the young gunman's quick temper. But he also knew that Jess would not let anything happen to Andy. "Simmer down, now. You have Andy to think about. Hasn't he lost enough already?" He waited and watched Jess' hard expression soften as he turned his eyes to the young boy.

Defeated for the time being, Jess shifted his gaze to the sheriff. "You're right, Sheriff. But I still think…"

Mort Cory raised a hand to silence him. "I know what you think, Jess. I'll get a couple of men together and we'll ride out to the bluff and have a look around. Will that suit you?"

Jess smiled warmly. "Thanks, Sheriff. That would suit us just fine," Jess answered, relieved. It'll suit me just fine 'til I can get out there myself. He looked over at Andy. "Let's go home, Partner."

* * * * *

With the heat of the day over, Andy and Jess sat in the cool evening air on the porch. One bit of pleasant news had been from Jonesy - he had written to let them know that his back operation had been scheduled and his doctor expected it to go well. But that meant that he wouldn't be back for at least a couple of weeks. They were alone with their troubles.

As promised, Mort Cory had gone out to the bluff where Slim had fallen but he and his deputy found no sign of a trail. He had stopped by the ranch just before supper to report his failure but told Jess not to give up hope.

Mort had taken it upon himself to inform Taylor that Slim was actually missing, not out of town as he had been told. Though a little disgruntled that he had been lied to, Taylor sent a message saying that he hoped that Slim would be found soon and that he would be willing to offer any help deemed necessary.

Chapter 9

"Jess!" came the agonizing cry again. "No…." he moaned as he gripped the blankets and thrashed about in the small bed.

Abruptly awakened by the man's distressful cries, Amy was taken aback when she realized that she had once again dozed off. She raised her head and anxiously looked down at the restless man, grimacing as she massaged the crick in her neck and tried to wake up. Although she knew that she really needed rest after sitting up with him for two days straight, she cursed herself for not being able to stay alert enough to care for his needs. She frowned in concern as she cooled the dried compress and gently swabbed his feverish face.

"How is he doing?" asked her father, surprising her as he stepped out from the dark shadows and into the pale glow from her lamp.

"Oh, Father! You startled me." She held a hand to her chest and looked at him, her expression anxious. "He's not doing very well at all. His fever is worse and I think he is having nightmares. He keeps calling out for someone named Jess. I wish we knew who he was and what happened to him." She again looked at the restive figure on the bed.

Ben gently took her by the shoulders and moved her aside then he sat on the small stool next to the bed. His frown deepened as he felt Slim's flushed cheeks and held a hand to the man's heaving chest.

"Maybe we should get the doctor. I know you don't like doctors but I don't want him to die. It's been two days and he isn't getting any better. Maybe if you went into town you could ask about him or find out about this Jess person he keeps calling for," Amy pleaded.

Her father simply put a finger to his lips, silencing her, and stiffly rose to his feet. Amy watched as he stripped the blankets from the unconscious man then carried a large sheet into the kitchen. He soaked the sheet in a bucket of cool well-water Millie had brought in earlier then returned to the bedside and draped the drenched sheet over the restless figure. Satisfied, he resumed his position on the stool next to the bed and spoke softly to him.

Amy watched in fascination as the man moaned quietly and seemed to calm at the soothing tone. She slowly approached her father and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"How did you know?" she asked softly.

He turned and smiled at her. "This always worked when you and your sister were little. Kind Mrs. Sherman did this for your ma when she took ill." He closed his eyes briefly as his face clouded over at the memory then he looked down at his patient. "We need to keep him cool for the time being. At least till his fever breaks. He'll rest easier now."

"I'm glad. He was really out of his head tonight. He was starting to scare me with his ranting and raving."

Her father stood up and led her to the rocking chair on the far side of the room. As she sat down and wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, he propped his leg up on the bottom rung and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"What did he say, Amy? Anything that made sense?" he asked uneasily.

Amy did not notice the shift in his tone as she looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling in the glow of the fireplace.

"Like I said, he kept calling out for someone named Jess. He seemed to be frightened and he mumbled something about a boy named Andy or something like that. It really didn't make much sense, though." She shivered and pulled the shawl even tighter around herself as she remembered his anguished cries.

"Hmm…. Could be nothing - maybe just bad memories coming back to haunt him. A high fever will do that. I'm hoping he can tell us a bit about himself later. I expect he should wake up some by morning."

"Do you have any idea who he is, Father?"

Ben looked away from his daughter's piercing gaze and swallowed a couple of times before answering. "I don't get out much, Amy, and even less into town. He seems familiar but I can't be sure. I reckon he'll be able to tell us who he is when he wakes up."

She watched him closely, feeling that there was something he wasn't telling her but she knew better than to pry. Benjamin Doyle was not a man to be pressed. He would tell her what was on his mind once he was good and ready and not a minute before that.

They sat in contemplative silence for several minutes then both jumped as a rooster crowed loudly outside, signalling the dawn. Ben rubbed his eyes and stretched as he walked over to the only small window in the cabin and lifted the faded curtain.

"I'll be darned; dawn already. Best wake your sister, Amy. There's a lot to do this morning and that rain the other night certainly has made the chores harder to get done."

Amy nodded and walked over to the sleeping figure that sat slumped in the old armchair. As she gently patted her sister on the shoulder, she again marvelled at how easily her sister seemed to find sleep. Millie opened her eyes and looked up at her sister. "What?" she mumbled sleepily as she pushed herself up off the chair and yawned. "Is it morning already?"

Amy nodded and headed for the kitchen to heat some water for coffee. The stranger had taken up much of their time and she knew that despite all appearances, neither her sister nor her father had slept well. Millie padded into the cozy little space and stoked the fire, staring longingly at the small kettle, as though willing the water to hurry up and boil for her coffee. Amy smiled as she watched her sister hold her hands above the warmth of the stove and yawn tiredly.

Knowing that Millie would take care of breakfast, Amy returned to Slim's side and felt his pale face. Although he was still warm, he had finally settled and his fever was not nearly as serious as it had been overnight. He was shivering again and she carefully removed the damp sheet and covered him with a wool blanket, smiling as her father nodded approvingly from across the room.

"See, Amy? What'd I tell you? It always works to calm a raging fever. He needs rest but I reckon he'll be coming to before long."

As if on cue, the young man began to stir. Amy leaned closer to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. His body shuddered slightly and he gingerly opened his eyes, blinking as he tried to focus his glazed blue eyes on the anxious face above him.

"There, there. Please try to stay still," Amy gently admonished as he raised a hand to cautiously rub his forehead.

"Where am I?" he whispered weakly, wincing as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position.

"You're in my father's home right now. My name is Amy Doyle and that man over there is my father, Benjamin." She pointed across the room as the shadowy figure approached slowly.

Slim squeezed his eyelids shut as he tried to quell the dizziness he was feeling. When he opened his watery eyes again, Amy smiled warmly and tenderly moved an unruly lock of blond hair from his brow.

"What's your name, Son," asked Ben, stepping into Slim's field of vision.

Slim opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again with a frown on his face. He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes, willing his foggy mind to work. "I don't…I can't remember." Alarmed at the void in his memory, he tried to push himself up on his elbows but the movement only resulted in sending a shooting pain through his ribcage and into his head, and he fell back against the soft pillows with a groan.

Amy was immediately beside him, gripping his arms and holding him down. "Please don't try to get up. You're hurt," she scolded gently.

He allowed himself to be tucked deeper into the blankets as he tried to control the feeling of alarm that was coming over him. Although he was in a lot of pain, he could not recall how he had come to be that way nor did he know who he was. He looked up at Amy's concerned face, searching for any sign of recognition.

"Do I know you?" he asked, his weak voice betraying his trepidation.

"No, I don't believe so," she answered mildly.

Ben approached and sat down on the small stool next to the bed. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

Slim slowly shook his head, wincing at the pain it caused.

"How did I get here?"

"My sister and I found you by the stream. You were injured and you passed out and fell in the water. My father brought you here and you've been here for two days now." Amy looked into his blue eyes and frowned slightly. "Are you sure you don't remember who you are?"

His eyes closed and she almost believed that he had passed out again until he looked up at her, distress etched on his ashen face.

"I have no idea," he said shaking his head in an effort to clear the fog that enveloped his mind.

"You just need rest, Son. We shouldn't be talking to you like this when you need to save your strength. Try to get some sleep and everything will be all right - you'll see," said Ben, his gruff voice kind and calming.

Ben smiled and supportively squeezed his shoulder. Oddly comforted by the familiar gesture, Slim gave up trying to fight his losing battle to stay awake and closed his eyes. Within minutes, Ben was pleased to see that he had again drifted to sleep.

Satisfied that the stranger was resting peacefully, Amy stepped away from the bedside and spoke quietly to her father. "Why do you think he can't remember anything about who he is or what happened to him?"

"His injuries are fairly serious, Amy, and especially that bump on his head. It doesn't take much of a knock for the mind to be affected. Not only that, he's had a very high fever for the past two days - that can't be good for any man, especially one in his condition."

Amy nodded in understanding and looked at the sleeping figure again. "Do you think he'll ever remember anything?" she asked, almost not wanting her father to answer.

"Oh, I reckon he will, eventually. Just keep taking good care of him, Amy, and I'm sure it'll start to come back soon enough. Now why don't you get yourself a cup of coffee? I figure that sister of yours has it ready by now."

"I will, Father. I just want to stay with him for a little while longer, just in case he starts having nightmares again."

He smiled at her and lovingly twirled a lock of her golden hair between his fingers. "Suit yourself, Girl. I'm going outside for a bit."

Millie watched silently from the kitchen as Ben pulled out his pipe and stepped out onto the porch. He stopped and listened to the larks as he breathed in the sweet morning air, pleased that the sweltering heat wave had finally broken.

Millie looked over to where her sister sat next to the injured man's bed, thoroughly engrossed in caring for him, then she tiptoed to the door and stepped out into the cool morning air and quietly approached her father.

"What's on your mind, Lass?" he asked softly, puffing contentedly on his pipe.

She smiled as she watched him. He always smoked his pipe when he needed to think and although Amy hated the smell of it, she had always found comfort in the sweet aroma. She reached over to him and gently squeezed his burly shoulder.

"You know who he is, don't you?" she asked quietly.

He twisted around and looked at her, biting down on his pipe and rubbing his chin.

"I'm not sure, Millie... Maybe, but it's been a long time…. people change, you know," he said thoughtfully.

She frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Ben stepped down from the porch with a sigh and strolled over to the small enclosure where he kept his prized doves. As he stuck a finger through the bars and gently stroked one the soft grey birds, he puffed thoughtfully on his pipe, trying to find a way to explain it to Millie.

"You never knew Mr. Sherman. He was a friend of mine, a very good man, kind and generous, almost to a fault. It was his wife who helped me take care of you and Amy when your ma died," he said softly.

"You've told me about her before, Pa," said Millie, stepping closer.

He turned away from his birds and looked at her with a frown on his face. "I think that man in there may be Matt Sherman's son - I think his name is Slim or something like that. I never met him, but he's about the right age and he's the spittin' image of his pa. I just wish I knew what happened to get him so banged up."

She followed her father as he slowly made his way to the barn and started to rub down his favourite old horse, all the while chewing on his pipe and puffing on the sweet-smelling smoke.

"Are you going to tell him when he wakes up?" she asked after a few minutes.

As he leaned against the old horse's flank, he looked over to where she sat on a small stool. "It's not that simple, Millie."

"What do you mean? If he can't remember who he is, I would think that you'd want to help him. And if he is Mr. Sherman's son, well, wasn't Mr. Sherman your friend, Pa?" She shivered in the cool shadows as she crossed her arms across her chest and waited for his response.

"You should get a shawl, Lass. t's chilly this morning," he mumbled as he resumed his work.

She shook her head and stared at his back. "No, Pa. I'm fine. But you didn't answer my question. Why aren't you gonna tell him who he is? At least you should let Amy know - she's really worried about him."

The old man turned his sad gaze upon her. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but I knew it would sooner or later." He paused and waited for Millie to say something. When she remained silent, he continued. "I've never told you this, and it's a very long story but one you should hear.

"When I married your ma, things weren't very good for us. Folks in town didn't take too kindly to our marriage - they thought I was too old for her and as a farmer, I couldn't offer her the kind of life she was entitled to. Life had always been hard for her - she already had Amy by that time and the worthless man who got her into that situation had long since abandoned her. But I knew I loved her from the first time I laid eyes on her, and Amy was always such an easy child to take a liking to - much like she is today." He paused and sighed deeply, waiting for the weight of his words to sink in with his youngest daughter.

Millie frowned slightly as she thought about what he had said. "You never told me this, Pa. I didn't realize…." She stopped, not knowing how to put into words what she was feeling. "How old was Amy when you married Ma?" she asked instead.

"Not quite two years old - too young to really understand what was going on but she's always been very sensitive, discerning in ways that a young child should not be. But that's not important, Millie. You have to realize that it was different then; life wasn't as complicated as it is now, but some things never change. When people made up their minds about something, it didn't matter how wrong they were - there was no changing how they felt. Never could figure out what they had against us, though. But that didn't matter to us. When I married your ma, I didn't have much to my name but I'd always had land so she and I thought we could make a go of things, despite the lack of sympathy and understanding we were facing." His face clouded over and he paused, taking a moment to puff on his pipe.

"But folks don't always let people be when they don't like what you're doing. Nobody would buy any of my produce. With no money coming in and nothing in the bank, I lost the farm six months after the wedding. Your ma was already expecting you and she still had to care for your sister but I didn't know how sick she was from it all - I don't reckon anyone did except her, but she never complained. I tried my best to tend to her but that wasn't enough. Only person who would help was Matt Sherman - and his wife was so kind-hearted and compassionate to your ma. Even though I know his situation wasn't much better than mine, Matt offered me a piece of land and he even helped build this place.

"He never used this part of his ranch - not much grows here as you know - but it was enough to keep us going and he even gave me a horse and a couple of cows in exchange for helping him mend fences and other odd jobs he could find. Even though she had a young son to care for, Mrs. Sherman came out here and stayed with your ma for a few hours every day for almost two months when you were born. A heart of gold is what Mrs. Sherman had, a heart of solid gold." He paused and looked down, wiping a tear from his eyes. He reached into his pocket for a handkerchief and sniffled and blew his nose - even after all these years, he still mourned for his beloved wife.

Millie wiped her eyes and looked up at her father, her expression loving. "If you don't want to talk about it, Pa, -" she started to say but he held up a hand and shook his head.

"No, Millie. You need to hear the truth. I've already told Amy some of this but I didn't want to burden you. You should hear this now, especially with that poor young man in there," he said, as he pointed in the direction of the small cabin.

Millie settled herself into a more comfortable position on a bale of hay as her father propped his leg up on the stool and looked at his youngest daughter.

"When your ma died, it broke my heart. I hated the world and everything in it - I blamed everyone, including myself, and especially you and your sister. I suddenly found myself alone with two little girls to care for and no one to help. Even though Mrs. Sherman came every day and did as much as she could, as crazy as it may sound, I blamed her for not being able to save your ma and I despised the doctor even more. Matt offered to pay the doctor's bill, …but I was so angry and hurt, I wouldn't allow it."

Millie sat quietly - she had not realized what horrors he had lived through and her heart ached to see him in such distress.

"Then, I did the worst thing I could have done, Millie. I started to drink to blot it out. I don't remember much of what I did but Mrs. Sherman just kept coming every day and caring for you, despite my temper. She had helped me bury your ma and she knew how poorly I was feeling so she made sure that you and your sister were well cared for in spite of my efforts to destroy everything I touched. I was so angry that I couldn't see how good and kind she and her husband were to us.

"One day, when Matt came by to drop off some supplies and check on the place, I had been drinking all morning and I was feeling very poorly. He could see what I was doing to myself and to you and Amy, and he tried to warn me about what would happen if I didn't stop. I got so mad at him - all I could think was that he couldn't possibly understand how I was feeling, and just who was he to tell me what to do? Here, he had a loving wife and a young son and I just wanted to hurt him, to make him feel as bad as I was feeling. So I lashed out at him - I hit him hard, and I just kept hitting him until my fists hurt so much that I couldn't do it anymore.

"When he didn't return home as expected, a couple of his neighbours came out to find him and they took him into town - he was in very bad shape. I almost killed him. I must have passed out in a drunken stupor after that because I woke up in jail, thinking that my life couldn't possibly get any worse." He paused and sighed deeply. "Do you know what Matt did? Instead of getting angry with me, he refused to press charges and he even had the sheriff let me go. But by that time, the damage was done.

"Mrs. Sherman came to see me as soon as her husband had recovered enough to go home and, although she was very kind about it, she let me know that I had to leave. She promised that if I went away, she would make sure that I had enough money and supplies to start up somewhere else and to properly care for you and Amy. She couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her son and she wanted me as far away as possible, especially after what I had done to Matt. So I promised to be off Sherman land within the week…" he stopped speaking and looked at his pipe. Realizing that it had gone out, he pulled out a match and relit it.

Millie rose to her feet and walked closer to him, resting a hand on his arm and frowning in concern.

"But, if you were supposed to leave, how come we are still here?" she asked, perplexed.

"That's why I can't tell Matt's son any of this, Millie. I never left this place - how could I? Your mother is buried on the hill and I could not bear to leave her. So I took the money Mrs. Sherman gave me and I stayed hidden with the two of you until I was sure it was safe to come back. I thought we could stay here and no one would bother us - like Matt had said, this is one area of his ranch that is almost barren so nobody ever comes here. Then, when I heard of Matt's and then his wife's death, well, I have managed to keep us hidden for fifteen years…"

"I realize how you feel but you have to tell the young man who he is, Pa - you owe him that. If he's anything like his father, I'm sure he'll understand. Besides, we're helping him now so he's likely to be grateful for that." She paused slightly. "What does Amy think about all of this?"

"She only knows about Mrs. Sherman's help when your ma took ill. I've told you too much, Millie. You shouldn't have to worry about what I've said. It's my responsibility to shoulder and if I had dealt with it when I should have, we wouldn't be in this mess right now."

"Pa, Amy and I are as much a part of this as you are. I'll help you in whatever way you need and I know Amy will do the same. You see how she's caring for Slim right now. But you have to tell her the whole truth and you have to tell him."

Ben looked down and nodded his head. "I know," he added reluctantly. "But I'll wait for the right time. Please let me tell him when I feel the time is right, okay Millie? And don't let your sister know yet - she has enough to worry about right now without the thought of losing our home."

Millie nodded and smiled weakly. "All right, Pa. I agree about Amy, but don't wait too long to tell him. This situation is already bad enough as it is."

"Well, Lass, enough of this chatter - There's a lot of work to do. I'll go check on Slim and your sister."

Millie hurried out from the barn to the small chicken coop and busied herself with the morning chores, now knowing the full weight of the burden he carried on his shoulders as she watched her father slowly walk to the house. At least he no longer had to bear it alone and, despite her fear at Mr. Sherman's son's reaction to what her father was going to tell him, she knew that if nothing else, this had brought her closer to her father. And for that, she was grateful.

Chapter 10

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