"It should work fine now with fresh loads and new caps. Don't do anything without it."
   The large revolver was awkward and heavy. She didn't trust the weapon but it seemed important to Collier that she had it. She trusted him and intended to do exactly as he told her. "I won't."
   "It's a nine shot. If you have to use it, wait until they're close enough that you don't miss. Use it only as a last resort." He pointed to tube mounted underneath the barrel. "This thing also shoots a shot load. You need to flip the hammer notch down to get the weapon to fire the shot barrel. I'd be careful before doing that. It probably packs quite a punch."
   The LeMat seemed a mass of confusing levers and switches. She shook her head.
   He smiled and took the pistol from her. "No, I'm doing this backwards. Here! You take my Colt. It's simple and easier to handle. I'll take the LeMat."
   The smaller, trimmer Colt felt much better. At least she could hold it up without using both hands.
   Collier reached for her hand and held it firmly. "You must use it. Don't be afraid to use it if you have to."
   "Don't worry. I'm not afraid of it." She tried a weak smile as she looked into Collier's eyes.
   "It's a six shot. Count your shots. If you've fired five and all hope is gone, use it on yourself."
   "I understand what you are saying. I don't know if I could."
   "I know you don't want to hear this but they're capable of terrible things. Horrible cruelty. It's a miracle that you survived the attack. I want you to be aware of what could happen."
   "Would you?"
   "Would I what?"
   "Use the last shot that way."
   He looked into her eyes without blinking. "Yes, I would."
   "I understand. I'll use it however you think best."
   He held her hand and smiled. "We need to get going if you feel up to it. We have to get back to the others as soon as possible."
   Every bone in her body ached and her head was pounding. Even her hands seemed to hurt, but she was determined not to hold him back. "I'm ready. Let's go!" She rose to her feet and climbed the bank of the gully.
   He grabbed his bags and rifle, and started to help her with the climb. "Not too fast. We need to check things out a bit before we crawl out of this hole. We need to be certain of where we are going and how we're going to get there before we ever move from cover."
   Collier's respect for the woman was enormous. Her courage increased his own. He couldn't let onto her how concerned he was. He felt that he had to act in complete control and sure of his actions for her benefit. Nevertheless, Collier realized that he had never been in such a situation. He honestly didn't know what else to do except to try to find the others. Alone and on foot, they were helpless. He regretted having to mention the final bullet to her. She would not have to use it if he could do it for her. He realized that it might not be possible and that she should be prepared for the situation if something happened to him. He wondered what she would think of him if she knew his thoughts. He would kill her himself rather than allow the Cheyenne to take her. It would be the fifth shot. The final round was for himself.
***
The banks of the river were open along that section of the trail. Collier moved carefully. He used his glass often and worked his way from one depression to the next. Nell Baker wondered if he would be this cautious if she wasn't along. She felt sorry for him, seeing herself as a burden. The constant running from one point to the next, the dropping to the ground and the crawling exhausted her. She hurt and wondered how long she could keep the pace. She strained to hide the pain.
   They found the caravan around noon. Burned wagons and naked, mutilated bodies were scattered about as a child would scatter
   The large revolver was awkward and heavy. She didn't trust the weapon but it seemed important to Collier that she had it. She trusted him and intended to do exactly as he told her. "I won't."
   "It's a nine shot. If you have to use it, wait until they're close enough that you don't miss. Use it only as a last resort." He pointed to tube mounted underneath the barrel. "This thing also shoots a shot load. You need to flip the hammer notch down to get the weapon to fire the shot barrel. I'd be careful before doing that. It probably packs quite a punch."
   The LeMat seemed a mass of confusing levers and switches. She shook her head.
   He smiled and took the pistol from her. "No, I'm doing this backwards. Here! You take my Colt. It's simple and easier to handle. I'll take the LeMat."
   The smaller, trimmer Colt felt much better. At least she could hold it up without using both hands.
   Collier reached for her hand and held it firmly. "You must use it. Don't be afraid to use it if you have to."
   "Don't worry. I'm not afraid of it." She tried a weak smile as she looked into Collier's eyes.
   "It's a six shot. Count your shots. If you've fired five and all hope is gone, use it on yourself."
   "I understand what you are saying. I don't know if I could."
   "I know you don't want to hear this but they're capable of terrible things. Horrible cruelty. It's a miracle that you survived the attack. I want you to be aware of what could happen."
   "Would you?"
   "Would I what?"
   "Use the last shot that way."
   He looked into her eyes without blinking. "Yes, I would."
   "I understand. I'll use it however you think best."
   He held her hand and smiled. "We need to get going if you feel up to it. We have to get back to the others as soon as possible."
   Every bone in her body ached and her head was pounding. Even her hands seemed to hurt, but she was determined not to hold him back. "I'm ready. Let's go!" She rose to her feet and climbed the bank of the gully.
   He grabbed his bags and rifle, and started to help her with the climb. "Not too fast. We need to check things out a bit before we crawl out of this hole. We need to be certain of where we are going and how we're going to get there before we ever move from cover."
   Collier's respect for the woman was enormous. Her courage increased his own. He couldn't let onto her how concerned he was. He felt that he had to act in complete control and sure of his actions for her benefit. Nevertheless, Collier realized that he had never been in such a situation. He honestly didn't know what else to do except to try to find the others. Alone and on foot, they were helpless. He regretted having to mention the final bullet to her. She would not have to use it if he could do it for her. He realized that it might not be possible and that she should be prepared for the situation if something happened to him. He wondered what she would think of him if she knew his thoughts. He would kill her himself rather than allow the Cheyenne to take her. It would be the fifth shot. The final round was for himself.
***
The banks of the river were open along that section of the trail. Collier moved carefully. He used his glass often and worked his way from one depression to the next. Nell Baker wondered if he would be this cautious if she wasn't along. She felt sorry for him, seeing herself as a burden. The constant running from one point to the next, the dropping to the ground and the crawling exhausted her. She hurt and wondered how long she could keep the pace. She strained to hide the pain.
   They found the caravan around noon. Burned wagons and naked, mutilated bodies were scattered about as a child would scatter
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