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Jake shouted for Annie and looked around wildly, then realized he was close to panic. He took a deep long breath and forced himself into calmness. He felt for the pulse in Daniel’s neck. It was regular, though not strong. His hand hovered over the knife, but he remembered the advice he’d had from Alec when a cactus thorn was caught in his leg: Don’t take it out unless you’re sure of what it is, how it went in, and unless you’re ready to stop the bleeding.
He couldn’t remove the knife. He needed his mother, his brothers, his father. He couldn’t move Daniel, for his brother was a big, solid man. Besides, it might make the bleeding worse. He needed help.
And he needed to know if Annie was safe.
It was four miles back to the ranch but only sixty yards to the cabin. He sprinted to the door, found it locked and kicked at it. It flew open and a quick search told him Annie was gone. She could have gone into town for help, he told himself. But he didn’t really believe it. Annie should have been right there, or on her way to his mother. He would have seen her. No, she was gone, and whoever had stabbed his brother had taken her.
I need help. I need Mother and I need Alec. If I go for Alec, Daniel may die from loss of blood. If I go for Mother, we may lose Annie’s trail. But it’s two miles farther to town than back home. If I take his horse, I’ll be at the house in fifteen minutes and it may save his life. This happened a long time ago—if the trail’s still there, another hour or so won't make any difference.
His decision made in the time it takes lightning to strike, Jake grabbed a bridle and forced his hands to stop trembling as he placed it gently into the buckskin mare’s mouth. Then, not taking time to saddle, he leaped on her back and urged her across the open fields.
He found Geordie out inspecting his crops, and shouted, “Daniel’s hurt! He needs help. Get out to the cabin!” His brother took off at a run toward Sidhean Annie.
As soon as he could see the ranchhouse, Jake started shouting again.
“Mother! Dad! Frank! Mother!” They spilled onto the porch as he pulled the horse up. She was winded and trembling.
“What is it?” his father demanded. “What’s wrong?”
“Daniel’s hurt. I sent Geordie.” He slipped off the mare’s lathered back as his mother disappeared into the house after her medical kit and Frank ran to the barn for horses. “Dad, he’s been knifed. In the back. Looks like he’s been bleeding all night.” Jake struggled for calmness, for breath. His father’s horse was saddled and ready to go. Putting Daniel’s horse in the corral, he grabbed the reins to the roan mare. “I’m going to town for the doctor and Alec.”
“Why Alec?”
“Annie’s gone.” The words hung in the stilly air until the old man groaned.
“Dear Lord.” He pulled a trembling through his gray hair as Jake swung up into the saddle. “Oh, dear Lord. You’ll have to tell Owen.” He slapped the mare on the flank. “GO! And get back as quick as you can!”
Jake needed no further urging. An excellent horseman on a superb horse, he made a direct run for the town, galloped in at the north end, and pulled the horse up before the silversmith’s cottage.
Tommy came running from the stable as Jake pounded on Alec’s door.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, grabbing the youth by the arm as Alec opened the door.
“What’s wrong?” the silversmith echoed.
“Daniel’s hurt. Annie’s gone. We need you,” he added to Alec.
“Where?”
“Sidhean Annie.” Jake was gone again, running down the street to the doctor’s house.
“I’ll saddle the horses,” Tommy told his son. “You pack some food and water.”
By the time Alec had packed and put on a buckskin suit and boots, his father had four horses ready and the stable door closed behind them. Jake was once again running up the wide street. The citizens of the town were gathering behind him.
“Where’s Doc?” the youth demanded.
Tommy stared at him for a moment. “Oh, no, no, no! He went out t’ see the new rancher—what’s ’is name? The one who bought the Wilson ranch—out there by the stage line. Look, I... I’ll get Jane—she’s jus’ over at the Callendar’s checkin’ up on the li’l girl. I’ll bring ’er out in the buggy.” Tommy had taken two steps before Jake called him back.
“Tell her we need... whatever she has to stop bleeding.” Then he added so no one but the smith could hear. “Daniel’s got a knife in his back.
“And Tommy, please... tell Owen. I don’t know what to say.” With that, he jumped onto one of the fresh horses and sped away with Alec at his side.
Tommy stood for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. It would break the bootmaker’s heart if anything happened to his daughter. And Carolyn—the wedding. He tied the extra horses to a rail and padded down the street to the Trading Post.
As he entered, he found the “Closed” sign in its usual spot and placed it in the window. The only customer was a trapper and as he left, Tommy locked the door.
“What are you doing?” the new merchant asked with a little laugh. “It’s too early for lunch. Besides, Carolyn will be here any minute.”
The blacksmith didn’t respond as he led Owen to the chair behind the counter. “Sit down, Owen.” He put a firm hand on the bootmaker’s shoulder. Owen sat.
“Tommy?” He looked up in confusion, then clutched at Tommy’s arm. “Tell me.”
“Dan’l’s hurt,” the smith replied, his deep voice shaking. He tried to go on, but the words wouldn’t come.
Owen’s hands were groping at his friend’s arms. “Annie... What about Annie?”
“She’s gone, Owen. Alec’s gone t’ look for her.”
“Gone? Tommy, where’d she go?”
“We don't know yet,” the smith replied, his face set in a mask of hope. “Alec’s gone t’ find ’er.”
“Find her? Oh, dear God, what’s happened to her?”
“We don't know. Maybe Dan’l can tell us.”
“But he’s hurt? How bad is it?”
“I don't know. But Jake came for the doctor.”
“Tommy.” Owen’s voice was rigid, demanding. “I want to know what’s going on. I want to go out there. I need to be there.”
“Horses are saddled,” replied the smith, surprised and pleased by the strength in his friend’s voice. “You wanna tell Carolyn first?”
“Of course.” Owen got shakily to his feet.
They met Carolyn in the street and broke the news to her. She agreed to stay in town and send word if any news came back. She’d go to Wang Shen and get one of his clerks to help her in the Trading Post, and she’d try to keep the rumors in check.
“Carolyn...”
“Don’t be silly, man. You go out there and stay there until she’s home again. How could we get married without her?”
Speechlessly Owen hugged her tight, then planted a kiss on her cheek.
“She’ll be all right,” Carolyn said. “Everything will be all right.”
“I love you. Pray for her.”
“And for you. Now get going. And don’t come back until she’s home again.”
The two men hurried down the street toward the horses. Tommy gave Owen a leg up onto one of them.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I gotta go get Jane. You go ahead an’ tell everyone we’ll be there soon’s we can.”