telling them. There was no answer to the puzzle of Joanna’s disappearance. It was as if she had vanished without leaving a trace.
Joanna turned around to look back over her shoulder. She couldn’t believe that no one had come to rescue her. Surely by now someone had discovered she was missing. Farley would find her, she thought confidently. He was a good tracker, and even though the two brothers were taking every precaution to cover their tracks, she was sure Farley would not be easily fooled. She wasn’t frightened as much as she was angry. So far, the two men had not mistreated her. In fact, they seemed very concerned about her comfort, and would often stop to offer her food and drink, and to allow her to stretch her cramped legs.
Joanna’s strongest emotion was anger. How dare Harland hire these two men to carry her off in such a high-handed manner! Why hadn’t he come himself, as he had said hewould in his letter? She knew if the chance should present itself, she would get away from her captors and make her way back to the Blackfoot village.
Glancing toward the east, Joanna saw dark clouds gathering on the horizon. She could see the lightning flashing across the sky, and a loud clap of thunder rolled across the plains. She couldn’t help thinking how good it was that the much-needed rain was coming at last. It wasn’t until later that Joanna realized the rain would work against her—it would wash away any tracks that might be left behind, making it harder for Farley to follow them.
That night Joanna rolled up in a blanket, while both brothers kept a wary eye on her. She noticed they hadn’t lit a campfire and realized they were still afraid of being overtaken by the Blackfoot.
Joanna was so tired and emotionally drained that she decided to rest for just a moment. She was determined not to fall asleep, thinking she would only pretend to be asleep until the two men became lax in their watch, and she would then try to escape. Soon, however, her eyes drifted shut, and she fell into a deep sleep. She wasn’t even aware that she was being discussed by the two brothers.
Jim watched the sleeping girl’s face in the half-light. Damn, he thought she was beautiful! “What do you suppose her story is, Chester? Do you think the Injuns captured her? Do you reckon Windhawk is real?”
Chester eyed his brother suspiciously. “Hell, how should I know what happened to her? Mr. Landon didn’t take me into his confidence. I already told you I don’t believe Windhawk’s a real person. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, though—you stay away from the girl. I’d better not catch you laying a hand on her. We’re being paid a lot of money to take her to her uncle. If you start trying to fool around with her, we won’t get anything. Do I make myself clear?”
Jim looked away from his brother’s searching gaze. “Chances are, if she let some Injun dally with her, most likelyshe wouldn’t mind me rolling her in the grass,” Jim said as his eyes fastened on the rise and fall of Joanna’s breasts.
“You just try it, Jim. I’m not about to let you spoil this chance for us!”
“You’re always bossing me around! Just ’cause you’re the oldest don’t give you no cause to tell me what to do,” Jim replied bitterly.
Chester reached out and gripped his brother by the shirtfront, yanking him forward. “I know how you treat women. As I said before, you lay one hand on the girl, and you’ll breathe your last!”
Jim’s glance shifted away from the angry gleam in his brother’s eyes. He knew about Chester’s foul temper—it wasn’t wise to rile him. He had once seen his brother strangle a man to death with one hand. “I didn’t mean nothing by what I said, Chester. I won’t touch the girl. Turn me loose!”
Chester shoved Jim aside. “You would be wise to do what you’re told. All my life I been getting you out of scrapes, but I’m warning you, don’t touch that girl!”
The light was quickly
Joanna turned around to look back over her shoulder. She couldn’t believe that no one had come to rescue her. Surely by now someone had discovered she was missing. Farley would find her, she thought confidently. He was a good tracker, and even though the two brothers were taking every precaution to cover their tracks, she was sure Farley would not be easily fooled. She wasn’t frightened as much as she was angry. So far, the two men had not mistreated her. In fact, they seemed very concerned about her comfort, and would often stop to offer her food and drink, and to allow her to stretch her cramped legs.
Joanna’s strongest emotion was anger. How dare Harland hire these two men to carry her off in such a high-handed manner! Why hadn’t he come himself, as he had said hewould in his letter? She knew if the chance should present itself, she would get away from her captors and make her way back to the Blackfoot village.
Glancing toward the east, Joanna saw dark clouds gathering on the horizon. She could see the lightning flashing across the sky, and a loud clap of thunder rolled across the plains. She couldn’t help thinking how good it was that the much-needed rain was coming at last. It wasn’t until later that Joanna realized the rain would work against her—it would wash away any tracks that might be left behind, making it harder for Farley to follow them.
That night Joanna rolled up in a blanket, while both brothers kept a wary eye on her. She noticed they hadn’t lit a campfire and realized they were still afraid of being overtaken by the Blackfoot.
Joanna was so tired and emotionally drained that she decided to rest for just a moment. She was determined not to fall asleep, thinking she would only pretend to be asleep until the two men became lax in their watch, and she would then try to escape. Soon, however, her eyes drifted shut, and she fell into a deep sleep. She wasn’t even aware that she was being discussed by the two brothers.
Jim watched the sleeping girl’s face in the half-light. Damn, he thought she was beautiful! “What do you suppose her story is, Chester? Do you think the Injuns captured her? Do you reckon Windhawk is real?”
Chester eyed his brother suspiciously. “Hell, how should I know what happened to her? Mr. Landon didn’t take me into his confidence. I already told you I don’t believe Windhawk’s a real person. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, though—you stay away from the girl. I’d better not catch you laying a hand on her. We’re being paid a lot of money to take her to her uncle. If you start trying to fool around with her, we won’t get anything. Do I make myself clear?”
Jim looked away from his brother’s searching gaze. “Chances are, if she let some Injun dally with her, most likelyshe wouldn’t mind me rolling her in the grass,” Jim said as his eyes fastened on the rise and fall of Joanna’s breasts.
“You just try it, Jim. I’m not about to let you spoil this chance for us!”
“You’re always bossing me around! Just ’cause you’re the oldest don’t give you no cause to tell me what to do,” Jim replied bitterly.
Chester reached out and gripped his brother by the shirtfront, yanking him forward. “I know how you treat women. As I said before, you lay one hand on the girl, and you’ll breathe your last!”
Jim’s glance shifted away from the angry gleam in his brother’s eyes. He knew about Chester’s foul temper—it wasn’t wise to rile him. He had once seen his brother strangle a man to death with one hand. “I didn’t mean nothing by what I said, Chester. I won’t touch the girl. Turn me loose!”
Chester shoved Jim aside. “You would be wise to do what you’re told. All my life I been getting you out of scrapes, but I’m warning you, don’t touch that girl!”
The light was quickly
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