by My Desperado
Travis was anxious to reach Latigo. Or possibly, if luck was with him, he would catch up with Cody Blackfeather in a few days. Jacob, the poor novice outlaw, had told of seeing an Indian driving a herd north, and his description of the man left no doubt as to his identity. Blackfeather and the boys from the ranch must be finally moving Latigo’s new herd home. And Blackfeather meant safety for Katherine. At least as much safety as could be found before they arrived at the ranch itself.
Once there, he would leave her with Latigo until Delias was gone and her name was cleared. Then he’d send her back east.
Just like that. Simple. All planned out. And he was not included in those plans, for she would marry someday—a man with a steady job and probably a paunch. Yes. Her husband would have a paunch, and somehow that knowledge made him feel better. The man would be rather short and would probably be balding, but he would be good to her—keep her safe and out of trouble.
But what man would accept her as a wife if he knew of her dalliances with Travis Ryland? No decent man. And so Travis was determined to not touch her again.
Not that he’d have the opportunity. For it was obvious she’d realized her mistakes and was keeping as much distance as possible between them. But not nearly enough, Travis thought as he watched her bend to deposit her bundle of wood. Even now he could imagine how she had felt beneath his hands. How she had arched and moaned.
“Damn!”
To his surprise he’d said the word aloud, causing Katherine to jump at the anger in his tone.
“What?”
She looked defenseless as she stared at him, eyes wide and startled, her slim body looking delicate and feminine despite her garb.
He stared back, wondering what to say now. “What the hell are you doing?” he snapped.
She straightened and placed her hands on her hips, looking not angry but hurt. “Gathering wood,” she said shortly.
“Well…” He scowled, trying to look meaner yet, and wishing he still had his beard to help on that front. “Well…” he repeated, waving slightly.“Do you have to do all that bending?”
Katherine continued staring at him, her eyebrows raised in stark amazement.
“Aww. The hell with it!” Ryland said, embarrassed, and, turning Soldier with a jerk, headed into the woods.
They roasted the remainder of the venison in absolute silence as Katherine practiced throwing Ryland’s knife into a nearby tree.
Travis, Katherine realized, was even more sullen than usual. She wondered at his mood, but was not about to ask for an explanation. Conversation between the two of them seemed impossible lately. He refused to answer her questions directly, and although he’d said they were heading toward Latigo’s ranch, that information told her very little.
Perhaps it was time she rode Moondancer, for Soldier must be tiring, but she was loath to do so until she was certain she could carry it off without making a fool of herself. And she wasn’t absolutely certain yet, Katherine thought as she unconsciously rubbed the hip that had been bruised during her last fall. As long as the mare continued to follow Soldier without restraint, she would wait a bit longer.
Her hand was slow as she retrieved the knife from the tree and chanced a quick glimpse toward Travis.
Their eyes caught, sparking fire-hot emotions.
“I’m tired,” she said, holding the knife in one hand as she walked away to lift her blanket from the ground. But as she drew it from the others his voice stopped her.
“Take another.”
She turned abruptly, finding his well-chiseled face, by the irregular flicker of the firelight. “I beg your pardon.”
She still talked like a lady—and after all they’d been through. “Take another blanket, too.”
She straightened, drawing the pretty striped one to her chest. “I’m not cold.”
His scowl deepened. “You’re not getting enough sleep. I don’t need you falling off and breaking your neck.”
She waited to hear him say it would slow them down, but apparently he didn’t feel that reminder was necessary, and since she didn’t want him questioning her about her obvious fatigue, she simply agreed.
“All right.” She bit her lip. “Thank you.”
He nodded, and then turned back to the fire in silence.
The night was like magic, filled with the iridescent glow of the moon and the twilight music of mountain life in the wild. No longer did the sounds frighten Katherine. Instead, she felt content and exhilarated.
Moondancer was hers—properly stolen and trained and ridden.
She leaned forward, lying across the mare’s heavy mane to wrap her arms about the glossy neck. She’d never had a pet—except for Prince, of course, who hadn’t trusted her enough to let her near, rather like a man she knew. But she wouldn’t think of Travis now.
No, tonight was hers—a few moments of pure delight to escape the horrors she had faced in the past month.
Travis came abruptly awake, the pain in his ribs sharp and piercing.
His hand went immediately to his side, feeling for the revolver. He drew it slowly from under his blanket, but did not sit up.
The night was silent. Soldier had made no sound of warning. He was certain of that. What had awakened him he couldn’t say exactly, but he knew trouble when it was near.
And it was near now. He lay still, listening. Off to his right, far into the brush a twig snapped. Someone was coming. Slipping from his cocoon, Travis hurried stealthily to where he’d seen Katherine bed down.
He touched her blanket while scanning the woods. Nothing yet. He shifted his gaze, ready to urge the woman to silence.
But the blankets were empty, and for a moment raw panic gripped his gut, thinking Katherine had been taken. But he took hold of himself and knew Soldier would have wakened him if someone tried to hurt her. Pain would have alerted him. Besides, Katherine was not one to go quietly.
Where was she then? And where was Soldier? Travis turned his head quickly, still crouching. The stallion usually stayed close to camp.
But then he spotted Katherine, winding her way through the trees toward him. Another horse whinnied from the woods, and he swung about.
“Red!” a man yelled.
Moonlight shimmered off a rifle barrel, and Travis heard another noise off to the left. And another. A bullet screamed from the darkness, snapped off too quickly.
“Run, lady!” Travis yelled, diving for cover. “Take Soldier!” His shoulder hit the earth, and he rolled, revolver still in hand. “Run!” he ordered, but Katherine was frozen in her tracks.
The nightmare had returned. Men were there in the darkness again. Bullets whined. Death stalked her. She swallowed a scream. Ryland’s voice sounded, but it was garbled, lost in the frenzy. But she heard “Soldier” and knew he wanted her to flee, to run for her life, but she could not.
“Where is he?” a man yelled.
“I got him. I think I got ‘im!”
She was running before she knew it. Bolting back down the trail toward the horses. They came to her at a trot, skittering nervously as more yells erupted from camp.
“Dear God!” Her hands shook, but she managed to bridle Soldier and tighten his girth. Then she was on Moondancer’s back, gripping the rope and reins in stiff fingers as she pushed the horses toward camp.
Another bullet, so close she could hear it pass, but she held Moondancer steady and screamed Travis’s name.
He heard her voice through the nightmarish din. And then out of the darkness she came, like a moonlit wraith, riding low, running flat out.
“Where are you?” she yelled, and he stood.
“Lady!” Travis called out, but just then a man lunged up from the shadows and fire spat from his gun. Pain exploded in Ryland’s head.
‘Travis!” Katherine screamed again, seeing him falter.
Ryland clawed for consciousness and pulled the trigger. The man groaned and fell.
Katherine wheeled the horses, charging toward Travis, allowing him
only a moment to holster his gun and swing.
He caught Soldier’s saddle horn but lost his footing. The stallion lurched, nearly dragged down by Ryland’s weight.
Travis scrambled, running along, grappling for a better grip, and then with one desperate lunge he was up, draped against his horse’s side.
A bullet sang off a nearby tree. Soldier reared, jerking a rein free and nearly losing his rider.
In the darkness Katherine saw Travis’s body jerk, and for a moment she thought he would fall, but he gained control and urged the stallion into a gallop.
“Come on!” he yelled, and she did so, allowing Dancer free rein.
More bullets winged after them, but they were running now, wild as the night.
Boulders flew past. A broken tree lay on crushed branches across their path. A scream rose in Katherine’s throat, but before the sound was freed, they were over.
Moondancer jolted back to the earth. Katherine was pitched downward, and, feeling terror grip her, scrambled wildly to right herself, her fingers tangled in the midnight mane as she hooked her knee over the mare’s back, clawing frantically to stay aboard. A skittering turn to the left and Katherine was astride again, terror strangling her, the night blinding.
Horses crashed along behind her amid terrifying yells and spattering gunshots.
Travis was ahead, leading the way. All she could see was his pale shirt, but Moondancer followed the stallion’s every move, weaving and dodging, allowing Katherine nothing to do but hang on and pray.
The trees thinned, showing the glossy, silvery bark of aspen. The horses spurted forward, allowed some room to run now with their nostrils distended, their legs pumping.
Just ahead dark shapes loomed up from the ground.
Fresh terror seized Katherine, but already the elk were gone, crashing through the brush to their left.
Travis glanced quickly behind, and then, with the suddenness of thought, he was out of the saddle and running, motioning for her to follow. In a heartbeat they were beneath the total blackness of a stand of fir. The horses stood side by side, breathing hard, ears pitched up as their pursuers thundered past.
“Damn it! Where’d they go?” a man yelled.
“Over there! I hear ‘em running.”
And then they were gone, following the elk at breakneck speed. Hoofbeats pounded into the darkness, allowing silence to descend in muffled waves. From somewhere in the night an owl called.
Katherine closed her eyes. Her hands shook, and when she tried to take a step, her knees buckled, spilling her to the hard earth where she stayed, crumpled and shaken.
Dear God, they’d almost been caught. No. Not caught. Killed! For those men had no intention of taking them to the law, but to shoot first and check their identity later.
But they had escaped. She had done well, had saved Ryland. Had ridden that wild ride without failing. Pride filled her, giving her strength.
“Jesus!” Travis was before her, pulling her to her feet with his hands hard on her arms. “What the hell were you thinking?”
She stared at him dazedly. Why wasn’t he thanking her for saving his life?
“How the hell could you pull such a damn fool stunt?” he asked, shaking her. “You could have been killed! You could have…” he began, but suddenly his glazed eyes closed and he collapsed, striking his head on the rocky ground.
Chapter 22
“Travis,” Katherine whispered, slipping to the earth beside him. She reached to touch his shoulder. It was wet with something warm and sticky. “Dear God.” She closed her eyes, refusing to look for a moment, knowing he’d been shot again.
Somewhere in the night men hunted them, and it would be deadly to stay there and wait for their return. She had to get Travis to safety.
“Please, Travis. You must get on Soldier.”
His lips moved, issuing a faint sound, and she leaned closer trying to hear.
“What?”
“Leave me.” The words were weak but discernible.
“No.” She stiffened, holding her breath for a moment. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Leave me!” His voice sounded very loud in the stillness as he sat up to grip her arm in a hard clasp. “Do you hear? They’ll come back. I’ll hold them off for a time. Ride north and east until—”
“No!” Her hands shook as she jerked her arm from his grip. “I won’t. You’re getting on that horse.”
Silence lay between them.
“Katherine,” he said softly. “You don’t know what we’re up against. That was Delias. I seen the silver conches on his hat.” He was still, breathing hard. “Just like before. And I remembered. Latigo was right. It was him,” he whispered.
“What are you talking about?”
“Go!” His left hand grabbed her arm again. “Hear me?”
His right hand lifted, but his fingers merely bumped numbly against her other arm.
“Listen. Listen to me. Delias is on our trail. He killed her. He’ll kill you, too, if you don’t leave now.”
“Killed who?” She shook her head.
“Go!”
“No.” Her voice trembled. “I won’t leave you.”
“Goddamn it, woman!” he swore, and with the little strength he had left pushed her suddenly away. He yanked the revolver from its holster. “Leave me now,” he ordered through his teeth, and lifting the muzzle, he pressed it against his ear. “Or I’ll shoot myself, and there won’t be no point dragging my corpse along.”
Katherine’s breath came in short, ragged gasps. “Please!” She stumbled back a step. “Ryland!” Her voice broke. “What are you doing?”
“Go,” he rasped.
“No.”
“Goddamn it!” he swore, and cocked his gun.
A noise issued from the woods behind.
Katherine gasped and Travis twisted about, jerking the muzzle of his weapon in the direction of the sound.
Soldier stood, ears pitched forward, watching as his master’s aim leveled on him.
Travis swore, releasing the hammer, and Katherine bent. Grasping a stout branch in both hands, she stepped up beside Ryland to swing with all her might.
The thick bough hit his wrist with numbing force, almost knocking the gun from his hand. He jerked about, grappling for control of the firearm, but the rapid movement seemed to disorient him. His head bobbled for a moment, and then, with painful slowness, his shoulders slumped to the earth.
“God!” Katherine covered her mouth with a trembling hand. “What have I done?” she asked, but before an answer could form in her mind, he moaned.
She scrambled toward him, easing the revolver from his limp hand and stepping quickly back. The moon was slipping toward the horizon, drawing away the last vestige of light.
“Don’t panic,” she whispered as Soldier shuffled closer.
Setting the gun quickly on the ground, Katherine hurried to Ryland’s side. A pulse still beat at the base of his throat.
Scrambling through the underbrush, she grasped Soldier’s reins to lead him quickly forward.
“Wake up, Travis. Travis!” She slapped his cheek, noticing blood in his hair and trying not to think of the extent of his wounds. “Travis!” Her voice shook, and she wanted to cry, for surely she could not get him onto his horse if he didn’t awaken. “Please,” she whispered, but now Soldier had drawn close and nudged her arm with his nose. Behind him Moondancer emerged from the woods, drawing Katherine’s attention.
“That’s it,” she breathed.
Positioning Soldier just so, she begged him not to move as she untied his reins. Her fingers felt stiff and her heart hammered in her chest, but she finally got the knots loosened. Soldier stood quietly as Katherine tied a rein about Ryland’s chest. She felt as if she had done this all before, in a past nightmare that still haunted her memories. Hurrying to Dancer, Katherine led the mare forward before tying the second rein about the mare’s neck and removing the lariat. In a moment the lengthy leather rope was looped abo
ut the base of Dancer’s neck and slipped over Soldier’s saddle to be tied to the rein that bound Ryland.
A noise issued from the woods. Katherine held her breath.
A fox stepped into view, then stopped, poised, before dashing away.
Katherine closed her eyes, feeling her knees tremble. But there was no time for fear.
“Please, God,” she prayed, and then, hurrying around Dancer, she took the mare by the dangling rein and led her slowly forward.
The lariat was taut in a moment, and Dancer stopped, shifting her weight backward.
“Come on, girl,” Katherine pleaded, and pulled again.
Ryland’s body was lifted from the ground slowly, but finally he was draped, unconscious, atop his saddle.
Soldier took a tentative step forward. Katherine dashed to his side to stop him, but now Dancer was left untended and shuffled back a step.
“No!” Katherine gasped, and scrambling to Soldier’s far side, she heaved Ryland astride. “Thatta girl. Hold still now. Hold still,” she pleaded, and, fumbling with the knot, set Ryland free.
With strips of cloth torn from a shirt found in the saddlebag, Katherine tied his feet to the stirrups and his hands to the horn. He slumped groggily over his stallion’s neck, and with trembling haste, she secured additional ties to bind him more securely. Finally the one remaining rein was returned to Soldier’s bit and the lariat to Dancer’s head.
She remembered the gun at the last moment and unbuckled Ryland’s belt, settled it around her own hips, and slipped the revolver into its holster. It lay heavy and solid against her thigh, and with another whispered prayer, Katherine leaped to her mare’s back before urging both horses into the secretive darkness of the woods.
The night got blacker as the hours passed, but Katherine kept the horses moving, hoping she was heading north and listening to every noise that issued from the woods about her.
It was almost impossible to make any headway, for there was no trail and the terrain was rocky and steep, with no water to ease the horses’ thirst. Nevertheless, she refused to stop, sure that she must put as much distance as possible between themselves and the outlaws that searched for them.
From a branch overhead an unseen bird chirped, causing Katherine to jump nervously. Another bird answered, and she realized dawn was approaching. She would have to find a place to hide, she knew, but closed her mind to that thought for a moment, for Ryland had not made a sound in many hours, and she feared she lacked the courage to look into his face. Nevertheless, she had no choice but to stop soon.
