earth shook beneath him as Desperado plunged into the midst of five hundred head of stampeding cattle. He searched frantically for Chloe but the cloud of dust blinded him. His heart nearly stopped when he finally spied her. She was racing alongside the herd, heading directly for the ravine, unaware of the peril awaiting her. Panic accelerated his heartbeat. Unless he could stop Chloe, she would ride straight into the ravine and sure death.
He felt a spark of hope when he saw that the drovers from camp had arrived. But he had eyes only for Chloe and the imminent danger. She had reached the front of the stampeding herd now and began firing her pistol into the air in an attempt to turn the leaders. Desperado held his breath. If she succeeded in turning the herd back into themselves, the stampeding cows could be stopped before they reached the ravine. Unfortunately, the ploy didn’t work, and the drovers were too far away to help Chloe. Within minutes she would be swept over the ravine and buried beneath tons of dying cattle.
Digging his heels in, Desperado used skills learned from the Indians as he leaned low over his mustang’s neck and whispered encouraging words. “There’s a ravine ahead!” he shouted as he passed each of the drovers. “Turn the herd away from it.”
The drovers began shooting into the air, trying to head the herd in another direction. Slowly but surely the herd turned from the ravine. Desperado’s relief was short-lived. He saw at a glance that the tactic had come too late to save Chloe. If he didn’t do something fast she’d be swept into the ravine by the turning edge of the herd. After a quick assessment of the situation, he came to but one conclusion. The only way to reach Chloe in time was to cut through the herd. It was perilous. Foolhardy. Stupid. But he was willing to take the risk to save Chloe’s life.
* * *
Chloe realized that the rest of her crew had arrived and felt enormous relief. She’d been unable to turn the herd on her own and knew that every available hand was needed to stop them. She saw Sonny fighting his way to her and motioned for him to stay where he was, but he seemed determined to reach her. Then she saw Desperado plunge into the middle of the stampeding herd and her breath nearly stopped. What did he think he was doing?
Her gelding shied beneath her and it took all her strength to control the frightened animal. But she couldn’t blame him. The stampeding herd was crowding her mount. She saw Sonny signaling her but couldn’t make out what he was trying to convey. He cupped his mouth and shouted something, then he pointed behind her. This time she understood, and the blood froze in her veins.
Ravine? There was a ravine behind her? She turned in her saddle and saw what she hadn’t seen before. Less than twenty yards ahead of her the earth fell sharply away. She tried to angle around the herd, but they charging animals were still crowding her toward the edge. Then she saw Desperado, fighting his way through the herd toward her. He wasn’t going to make it! He was going to be swept beneath the cutting hooves of five hundred head of cattle.
Abruptly her attention was diverted when the herd made a slight deviation, pushing her even closer to the ravine. There was no hope for her now. She was a goner. She’d be swept over the cliff. Her gelding shied, pawing the air as the cattle brushed against it, edging it toward the ravine. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and awaited death. She hadn’t counted on Desperado’s determination to save her.
Instead of plunging down the ravine as she expected, she felt herself being lifted from the saddle. When she opened her eyes, she was resting between Desperado’s hard thighs, his strong arms holding her firmly against his chest.
“They’re turning!” Desperado called to Sonny and Lucky as he fought his way to the edge of the herd. “I’ll take care of Chloe. You and the others can handle it from here.”
“My
He felt a spark of hope when he saw that the drovers from camp had arrived. But he had eyes only for Chloe and the imminent danger. She had reached the front of the stampeding herd now and began firing her pistol into the air in an attempt to turn the leaders. Desperado held his breath. If she succeeded in turning the herd back into themselves, the stampeding cows could be stopped before they reached the ravine. Unfortunately, the ploy didn’t work, and the drovers were too far away to help Chloe. Within minutes she would be swept over the ravine and buried beneath tons of dying cattle.
Digging his heels in, Desperado used skills learned from the Indians as he leaned low over his mustang’s neck and whispered encouraging words. “There’s a ravine ahead!” he shouted as he passed each of the drovers. “Turn the herd away from it.”
The drovers began shooting into the air, trying to head the herd in another direction. Slowly but surely the herd turned from the ravine. Desperado’s relief was short-lived. He saw at a glance that the tactic had come too late to save Chloe. If he didn’t do something fast she’d be swept into the ravine by the turning edge of the herd. After a quick assessment of the situation, he came to but one conclusion. The only way to reach Chloe in time was to cut through the herd. It was perilous. Foolhardy. Stupid. But he was willing to take the risk to save Chloe’s life.
* * *
Chloe realized that the rest of her crew had arrived and felt enormous relief. She’d been unable to turn the herd on her own and knew that every available hand was needed to stop them. She saw Sonny fighting his way to her and motioned for him to stay where he was, but he seemed determined to reach her. Then she saw Desperado plunge into the middle of the stampeding herd and her breath nearly stopped. What did he think he was doing?
Her gelding shied beneath her and it took all her strength to control the frightened animal. But she couldn’t blame him. The stampeding herd was crowding her mount. She saw Sonny signaling her but couldn’t make out what he was trying to convey. He cupped his mouth and shouted something, then he pointed behind her. This time she understood, and the blood froze in her veins.
Ravine? There was a ravine behind her? She turned in her saddle and saw what she hadn’t seen before. Less than twenty yards ahead of her the earth fell sharply away. She tried to angle around the herd, but they charging animals were still crowding her toward the edge. Then she saw Desperado, fighting his way through the herd toward her. He wasn’t going to make it! He was going to be swept beneath the cutting hooves of five hundred head of cattle.
Abruptly her attention was diverted when the herd made a slight deviation, pushing her even closer to the ravine. There was no hope for her now. She was a goner. She’d be swept over the cliff. Her gelding shied, pawing the air as the cattle brushed against it, edging it toward the ravine. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and awaited death. She hadn’t counted on Desperado’s determination to save her.
Instead of plunging down the ravine as she expected, she felt herself being lifted from the saddle. When she opened her eyes, she was resting between Desperado’s hard thighs, his strong arms holding her firmly against his chest.
“They’re turning!” Desperado called to Sonny and Lucky as he fought his way to the edge of the herd. “I’ll take care of Chloe. You and the others can handle it from here.”
“My
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