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Carrie hid behind the bushes, watching as Fred tried to figure out some way to get the Indian woman out of there unharmed. She had no idea what he thought he was doing. He'd walked in there with no plan. She admired his courage but could not abide such silliness. What if he was killed? If that happened, she would be very angry with him.
She bit her lip and prayed to God to keep him safe. He seemed to be walking in circles, talking in circles. She could hear what he was saying easily enough and was a little surprised when he mentioned her, but she saw the positive effect it had on the other men. They let their guard down.
Bessie nickered lightly behind Carrie's back. "Sssh!" she whispered. The horse had walked closer to her, wondering where she and Fred had gone off to. Bessie did not care to be left alone. She nickered at Carrie again, louder this time. "Sssh!" Carrie said, backing slowly away from the bush and going to her.
She stroked Bessie's muzzle the way Fred did, shooting anxious glances behind her whenever she heard a noise. She had to get back. The voices were muffled here. She had to know what was happening.
"Now stay here," Carrie whispered, "and be quiet."
She dropped to her knees and started back toward the bushes when a shot rang out. "Fred," she breathed, jumping back to her feet. Bessie whinnied and went back on her hind legs. Carrie ignored her, running toward the men. A second shot rang out and Carrie froze. She realized how foolish she was being.
She hurried back to Bessie and retrieved the spare gun Fred had once loaned her. She should have thought of it sooner. It was nestled securely in his satchel. She withdrew it and cocked the hammer back.
"Thank you, Bessie," she said, giving the horse's muzzle one last stroke. "You're a genius." Bessie nickered her approval.
Carrie ran right into the Indian woman. They bumped heads, staring at each other as more gunshots sounded. Carrie had a thousand questions for the woman, the first of which was whether she was all right, but there was no time to ask one question let alone a thousand.
"We must hurry," Carrie said, grabbing the woman's hand and dragging her back toward Fred and the others. The woman shook her head. No.
"Come!" Carrie cried. "We must help them. That is my fiancé who helped you escape. We cannot leave him to be shot!" She was frantic to make the Indian understand. The woman just stood there, though. Carrie finally gave up. She left the woman alone and ran toward the gunfire.
She saw Fred fall to the ground and for a moment her heart stopped, certain he'd been shot. When he began to move, she had to fight back the tears of relief. There was no time for them.
Fred's hand still held his gun, but Abel hovered dangerously over him. His gun was pointed directly at Fred's head. If Abel fired, Fred would have no chance. They were too close. She would lose him. It was her nightmare coming true, except that it was not the Indians who were Fred's enemies, it was his own partners.
Carrie had no time to think. She aimed the gun the way Tom had taught her and pulled the trigger just as Abel was about to pull his.
Carrie missed Abel completely, but the sound of her gun got his attention. "Who's there?" he called, looking out toward her. His gun had shifted away from Fred.
She hid behind a large tree, holding her breath. She heard Fred grunt and chanced a quick glance from behind the trunk where she was hiding. Abel was kicking him. His hat shifted on his head with every thrust of his leg into Fred's stomach. She cringed, watching it.
"Who'd you bring with you?" Abel demanded. "Is it that friend of yours? John Bowman? Maybe I'll pay him and his wife a little visit." He kicked Fred again and dragged him back into the clearing where they'd been holding the Indian woman.
Carrie crept silently toward them, making sure she wasn't seen.
"There's no one else with me," Fred cried. "It must have been the Indian."
Paul and Randall laughed. Abel joined them. "Where would an Indian woman learn to shoot a gun?" Abel asked. "They use bows and arrows."
Fred said nothing. Abel looked out at the trees and almost caught sight of Carrie.
"Hey, Mr. Bowman," Abel taunted. "We've got your buddy here. If you want him alive, you best throw us something in return."
"A trade," Paul cackled.
"That's right," Abel said. "A rich banker like you ought to be good for a trade. You give us some money, and we'll give you Fred Connor."
Carrie had no idea what to do. If she revealed herself, she feared she would only make things worse for Fred. A woman would be far less of a threat to them than John Bowman.
She took a deep breath and grunted. "Uh huh."
Abel paused. "Was that a yes?" he asked, confused. He looked round him at Paul and Randall, who both shrugged. "So, we're trading, then?"
"Uh huh," Carried cried. She was just trying to buy some time.
She snuck a look at them and her breath caught in her throat. The Indian woman was on the opposite side of the clearing, also behind a tree. She was facing Abel's back. No one saw her. Not even Fred. She was holding something in her hand and seemed to be signaling to Carrie.
Carrie watched her, desperately trying to make out whatever she was saying. Was it some sort of Indian code? The woman kept holding up one finger. Carrie shrugged. Her head ached. The Indian woman was clearly frustrated. She kept waving her hands in the air and holding up different fingers. Now it was two of them.
Carrie realized it was a rock she was holding in her hand. A small rock. Carrie's heart sank. What could they do with a rock? The men all had guns. But the more she studied the scene, the more hopeful she became.
Paul's gun did not seem to be working. And she noticed that Randall kept pointing his at the wrong places. The sky. The ground. A tree that neither she nor the Indian were anywhere near. She saw a small pile of rocks near the Indian's tree. She must have gathered them while Carrie was firing her gun off.
The Indian woman waved her arms in the air, getting Carrie's attention back. She held up three fingers.
Something finally clicked. She's counting.
One finger, two fingers, three fingers. The woman was trying to tell Carrie that they would go together on the count of three. Relief flooded Carrie's heart. She smiled and nodded, just happy that she had finally understood. Happier still that she wasn't alone in this.
One, two, three and go. It wasn't much of a plan, but they had the element of surprise. What did the Indian intend to do on three? Fire her rocks, Carrie supposed. She would fire her gun. Perhaps together, they could make a go of it.
Carrie sucked in a deep breath. The Indian woman raised her eyebrows. Carrie nodded.
One finger. Two fingers. Three fingers.
Carrie sprang into action. She fired her gun, actually hitting Abel with the first shot. It hit his shoulder and he yowled in pain. Carrie's heart soared, delighted with her luck.
Paul and Randall were yelling almost as loud as Abel. Rocks were flying at them from every direction. One hit Paul straight on the front of his head, between his eyes. He squealed like a little girl and touched his fingers to the wound, pulling away blood.
Randall was faring no better. Rocks attacked him from all angles. They hit his cheek, his nose, his eyes. He screeched and dropped his gun. Carrie fired a second round, and a third. She missed both times, but the rocks were hitting Abel now, too. The Indian woman was a better shot than she was. Carrie was glad she was on their side.
Abel, Paul, and Randall were jumping around as if the ground beneath their feet was hot. Despite all the rocks flying about their heads, none of them came close to hitting Fred. Carrie fired again and one of her bullets actually knocked the hat off of Abel's head.
"My hat!" he yelled. His face contorted. If Carrie hadn't known better, she'd have sworn that he was more concerned for the safety of his hat than he was his own life. He grabbed it and pulled it back onto his head before it could fly away.
"I'm goin'!" Paul yelled, jumping onto his horse. Randall hurried after him.
"Get back here!" Abel yelled. Carrie pulled the trigger but nothing happened, she was out of bullets. She picked up a rock instead, hitting Abel with it from the front just as the Indian woman got him from behind. He let out a cry then ran after Paul and Randall. The three of them disappeared into the forest.
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