Tracie Peterson by Hearts Calling Page B

Missy. You ain’t going nowhere.” By this time, the other two had joined him and Pamela could see that they were appraising her intently.
    “I’d say she’s a proper lady,” one of the men said, coming alongside her. Pamela could see that a long hideous scar marred his face. It cut a path across his nose and ended just above his lip.
    “Now, Knifenose,” the other one said, running his tongue over his large lips. “You ain’t pretty enough to be courting a proper lady. Iffen she really is a proper lady, then you’d best leave her to me.” They snorted laughs, leering and commenting, until finally they reached the place where their horses were tethered.
    The man called Joe pulled Pamela from his shoulder and threw her across his horse. The saddle horn pounded like a knife into her ribs, and Pamela let out a cry.
    “Keep quiet,” the man said, taking a seat in the saddle. He pulled her across his lap, then urged his horse forward.
    “Was he dead?” Joe asked Knifenose, and Pamela held her breath waiting for the answer.
    “Will be soon enough,” Knifenose replied. “He didn’t have much of anything on him so I didn’t figure he deserved to be eased out of his misery.”
    Pamela shuddered at their cruelty and felt herself grow faint.

Seven
    D on’t try to move, Son,” a deep voice was saying.
    Jim opened his eyes and squinted against the light of day. A white-haired, bearded stranger came into view overhead.
    “Who are you?” Jim asked, putting a hand to the painful throbbing on the side of his head.
    “The name’s Caleb Emerson,” the man replied with a warm smile. “Look’s like you’ve been bushwhacked. They robbed ya clean, took all your goods, and left ya for dead.”
    Jim moaned and tried to roll onto his side. “I have to go after them.”
    “Whoa there, Fella,” Caleb said, putting a strong arm out to restrain Jim’s movement. “You took a nasty hit to the head. I stopped the bleeding, and it’s not life threatening, but you’re gonna have to rest awhile.”
    “I can’t,” Jim said. He lifted his eyes to the sky. “They’ve taken more than my goods.”
    “Nothing worth your life,” the man offered.
    “Yes, I’m afraid there was.” Jim remembered blue eyes and a face that was only beginning to smile in his presence. “I wasn’t traveling alone,” Jim finally said. “There was a woman with me.”
    “Your wife?” Caleb asked in a concerned tone.
    “No,” Jim said and fell back against the ground. “It’s a terribly long story, but I’m afraid I am responsible for the young woman, and now I have to find her.”
    “Well, you ain’t going anywhere just yet,” Caleb said sympathetically. “Why don’t you just rest for a spell and eat some grub? After that, maybe you’d best tell me the whole story.”
    Against his will, Jim ate a bit and slept a great deal. He didn’t awaken again until midmorning the following day, but his head hurt less and his vision was clearer.
    “What time is it?” he asked, struggling to sit.
    Caleb gave him a hand before glancing up at the sky. “ ’Pears to be about eleven.”
    “What day is it?”
    “Now that’s a little more difficult,” Caleb replied with a smile. “Best I can figure, it’s Thursday.”
    “If that’s true, then I’ve only lost a day,” Jim said, thinking aloud and rubbing his head.
    “You gonna tell me what’s going on?” Caleb asked.
    Jim nodded. “I will if you’ll give me some more of that stew you fed me yesterday.”
    Caleb chuckled and pulled out a tin plate from his saddlebag. “Sure thing.” He dished up the stew from where it warmed over a dying fire. “By the way, I’ve got some good news for you.”
    “You found her?” Jim asked hopefully.
    “Not your lady friend,” Caleb said, sorry to see the hope leave the young man’s face. “But, I did find your horse.”
    “That is good news,” Jim admitted. He’d need a mount if he was going to find Pamela.
    Caleb waited until Jim had