be important. “Do you know what’s up there in that direction, Josiah?”
“Well, if they keep going the same way, they’ll get into the Blue Hills.”
“Are those like most of the hills in Kansas? They don’t amount to much?”
Hartnett let out a grim chuckle.
“Well, I reckon that’s true. There’s a little bluff or a plateau or whatever you want to call it that runs along there and separates the plains from some higher plains. But believe it or not, there’s some pretty rugged country in those parts, too. The Chalk Bluffs, the Castle Rock badlands…it’s not all just prairie.”
“How well do you know it?”
“Hardly at all,” Hartnett admitted. “I went on a hunting trip up there once. You’ve got to remember, it hasn’t been that many years since there were Indians roaming in those parts pretty regular-like. They might not have been on the warpath all the time, but they weren’t hardly what you’d call safe company, either.”
“Any settlements?”
“A few,” Hartnett said with a shrug. “Little places that grew up around trading posts. A few ranchers have moved in here and there, or so I’ve heard. It’s not fit country for farming. Mostly it’s just big and empty.”
“A good place for a gang of outlaws to hole up.”
“Yeah, I’d say so.” Hartnett paused. “But maybe we’ll catch up to them before they get there. If we don’t…we’ll follow them wherever they go.”
Bill nodded and said, “All the way to hell and back if we have to.”
Eden hurt. She had ridden horses before, but never for this far or this long. Her legs and back ached, and the insides of her thighs felt like they were rubbed raw. When the outlaws finally stopped to make camp and she was able to dismount, her legs tried to fold up underneath her like those of a rag doll.
Caleb was right there beside her to take hold of her arm and steady her. He said, “Take it easy. You’ll get your bearings in a minute.”
“I’m fine,” she said as she tried to pull her arm away from his grip. She had already felt his hands on her plenty of times today. Enough was enough.
Hannah came over and said, “I’ll take her.”
Caleb shrugged and let go of Eden’s arm.
“I don’t want her hurt,” he said.
“I’m not gonna hurt her. But there’s no need for you to keep fussin’ over her, either.” She took hold of Eden’s other arm. “Come on.”
They had stopped beside a mostly dry wash. A thin trickleof water ran in the bottom of it. A few stunted cottonwoods grew along the bank, an indication that the creek ran better at other times of year.
Hannah led Eden over to one of those trees. Eden’s steps were pretty unsteady at first, but they strengthened as she went along. When they reached the tree, Hannah told her, “Sit down.” She turned to one of the outlaws and added, “Dave, bring your rope over here.”
“What’re you gonna do, Hannah?” asked the man called Dave.
“Tie this prisoner up so she can’t get away, of course.”
Dave hesitated.
“Hadn’t you better ask Caleb about that?” he suggested.
For a second Eden thought Hannah was going to shoot the man. She looked that angry. But then she snapped, “Forget it. Eugene!”
The old-timer hurried over.
“What do you need, Hannah?”
“Some rope to tie up this prisoner.”
Eugene didn’t argue. He just said, “Sure. I’ll get it right now.”
“Sit,” Hannah told Eden again.
Eden didn’t think there was any point in arguing with the redhead. Anyway, after those long hours in the saddle, it might feel good to rest for a while, even if it meant sitting on the ground. She leaned against the tree to brace herself as she sat down.
Eugene came back with a lariat. Hannah took it and wrapped it around Eden’s body and the tree trunk several times before knotting it on the other side of the tree, well out of Eden’s reach even if she could move her arms.
Caleb stalked up in the gathering darkness and said, “What in
“Well, if they keep going the same way, they’ll get into the Blue Hills.”
“Are those like most of the hills in Kansas? They don’t amount to much?”
Hartnett let out a grim chuckle.
“Well, I reckon that’s true. There’s a little bluff or a plateau or whatever you want to call it that runs along there and separates the plains from some higher plains. But believe it or not, there’s some pretty rugged country in those parts, too. The Chalk Bluffs, the Castle Rock badlands…it’s not all just prairie.”
“How well do you know it?”
“Hardly at all,” Hartnett admitted. “I went on a hunting trip up there once. You’ve got to remember, it hasn’t been that many years since there were Indians roaming in those parts pretty regular-like. They might not have been on the warpath all the time, but they weren’t hardly what you’d call safe company, either.”
“Any settlements?”
“A few,” Hartnett said with a shrug. “Little places that grew up around trading posts. A few ranchers have moved in here and there, or so I’ve heard. It’s not fit country for farming. Mostly it’s just big and empty.”
“A good place for a gang of outlaws to hole up.”
“Yeah, I’d say so.” Hartnett paused. “But maybe we’ll catch up to them before they get there. If we don’t…we’ll follow them wherever they go.”
Bill nodded and said, “All the way to hell and back if we have to.”
Eden hurt. She had ridden horses before, but never for this far or this long. Her legs and back ached, and the insides of her thighs felt like they were rubbed raw. When the outlaws finally stopped to make camp and she was able to dismount, her legs tried to fold up underneath her like those of a rag doll.
Caleb was right there beside her to take hold of her arm and steady her. He said, “Take it easy. You’ll get your bearings in a minute.”
“I’m fine,” she said as she tried to pull her arm away from his grip. She had already felt his hands on her plenty of times today. Enough was enough.
Hannah came over and said, “I’ll take her.”
Caleb shrugged and let go of Eden’s arm.
“I don’t want her hurt,” he said.
“I’m not gonna hurt her. But there’s no need for you to keep fussin’ over her, either.” She took hold of Eden’s other arm. “Come on.”
They had stopped beside a mostly dry wash. A thin trickleof water ran in the bottom of it. A few stunted cottonwoods grew along the bank, an indication that the creek ran better at other times of year.
Hannah led Eden over to one of those trees. Eden’s steps were pretty unsteady at first, but they strengthened as she went along. When they reached the tree, Hannah told her, “Sit down.” She turned to one of the outlaws and added, “Dave, bring your rope over here.”
“What’re you gonna do, Hannah?” asked the man called Dave.
“Tie this prisoner up so she can’t get away, of course.”
Dave hesitated.
“Hadn’t you better ask Caleb about that?” he suggested.
For a second Eden thought Hannah was going to shoot the man. She looked that angry. But then she snapped, “Forget it. Eugene!”
The old-timer hurried over.
“What do you need, Hannah?”
“Some rope to tie up this prisoner.”
Eugene didn’t argue. He just said, “Sure. I’ll get it right now.”
“Sit,” Hannah told Eden again.
Eden didn’t think there was any point in arguing with the redhead. Anyway, after those long hours in the saddle, it might feel good to rest for a while, even if it meant sitting on the ground. She leaned against the tree to brace herself as she sat down.
Eugene came back with a lariat. Hannah took it and wrapped it around Eden’s body and the tree trunk several times before knotting it on the other side of the tree, well out of Eden’s reach even if she could move her arms.
Caleb stalked up in the gathering darkness and said, “What in
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