His Prairie Princess (Prairie Brides 1) by Kit Morgan

Harrison’s stepbrothers and from what she’d gathered from listening to their conversation, their father hadn’t a clue his two sons were in over their heads with a band of outlaws.  Seemed the man’s sons kept him liquored up most of the time to avoid too many questions or inquiries as to their whereabouts and thieving ways. Harrison in the mean time was so inundated with farm work he didn’t have time to be nosy.   She heard enough to figure out they rustled cattle for Jeb while he and some others stuck to robbing stages and the smaller wagon trains that passed through to the south.  It made things look like there were two separate outlaw gangs to some while in reality it was just the one.
    “What for?  She ain’t coming back.”
    They laughed.  Sadie ignored them and eyed the mailbag hanging from the saddle horn.  If she leaned forward enough while they rode across the prairie, she might be able to pull out a letter or two at a time and drop them, thus leaving a trail.  The darkness would shield her work and hopefully some one would see them.  If it wasn't too dark, that is. Please Lord, let it be light soon !
    “Let’s go!  The sooner we get up to the hideout the sooner we can have ourselves a little fun!”  Sam yanked her against his chest. “I’m gonna take you first, missy.”  He whispered, his breath hot and rancid.  She turned her face away and cringed.  He laughed, kicked his horse and they galloped out of the barn and up the road. 
      After a few moments Sadie leaned forward but the man pulled her back against his chest.  She strained against him to lean down enough to reach into the mailbag.  Panic began to take hold.  If she couldn’t leave something for Harrison or any others to follow it could take them much longer to find her.  As soon as the outlaws were done with her, they were sure to kill her.  Especially if Jeb the leader was there.  She could identify all of them for the most part.  A witness wouldn’t be tolerated.  The only thing that would buy her any time would be their use of her.  And who knew how much time it would give her.  And did she really want to endur e tha t ?  Perhaps death was a viable alternative to what was to come...
    Oh Lord, please ... please save me !
    The arm around her tightened as her captor laughed then licked at the side of her face.  She screamed into the gag and struggled but his grip was too strong.  Out of pure desperation Sadie did the only thing she could think of.  She kicked his horse.  Hard.
     
    * * *
     
    Harrison, the Sheriff, and what men were able, (six in all) rode out of Clear Creek as if their lives depended on it. But in this case, it was Sadie’s life at stake and Harrison was determined to save it.  He’d often wondered over the last year if his step-brothers had anything to do with the current outlaws plaguing the area, not to mention the unsavory events that led to his two older brothers, Duncan and Colin’s, arrests nearly a year and a half ago. Until recently he’d hadn’t anything with which to prove their innocence.  Jack and Sam had always had some sort of alibi when livestock went missing over the last few years and it was obvious Duncan and Colin had been lured into the wrong place at the wrong time and framed for cattle rustling off a wagon train.  Harrison had managed to find out new information about six months ago from his stepfather that sent Harrison on the trail of the real bandits. But none of that mattered now.  What did was rescuing Sadie.
    They reined in their horses a mile out of town at his signal.  “We should split up.  They may have gone back to the farm, or if my guess is right, they’ve gone to the cabin above the ridge.  But we can’t be sure which.”
    “Henry, you take three of the boys and check Harrison’s farm.” ordered the Sheriff.  “The rest of us will follow Harrison up to the ridge.”
    “If they’re at the farm be ever so careful.  Ride after us and