Ghost of the Past

Chapter IV

"I'm going after her Teaspoon. You can't stop me! I know something is wrong!"

"Kid, I told you no. Lou isn't even late yet, she's not due back until the morning," Teaspoon said a bit impatiently as he stared at the young man across the table from him.

"She's fine, I'm sure Kid," Rachel said, "She just needs some time to be by herself is all."

Jimmy glanced from Rachel and Teaspoon's soothing faces to the Kid's pale one. He hated to admit it, but a hollow fear had worked its way into his bones too, though he didn't add to Kid's worry by saying so. A gut feeling that he had learned long ago to trust was screaming that something just wasn't right.

"Maybe tomorrow me and Kid can just ride out towards Willow Springs, just to be sure Lou is all right."

Teaspoon didn't miss the edge to Jimmy's voice and he turned to study the boy with sharp eyes. He trusted Jimmy's uncanny judgment, and it disturbed him that it wasn't just the Kid who had a bad feeling. Unease swept across the back of Teaspoon's neck, and he realized it had been there all along.

"Okay you two, in fact I'll go with you if she's not back by tomorrow afternoon."

"Teaspoon!" Kid wailed.

"All right, all right, tomorrow morning!"

Jimmy and Teaspoon exchanged a look over Kid's bowed head. Jimmy read the message in Teaspoon's eyes and thought, yeah I hope I'm wrong about this too.

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Choking on sobs, Lou struggled hard against the weight holding her down, and with one last painful effort, rolled Wicks off her. To her horror, he rolled off the bed and landed with a considerable thump on the floor. Lou grimaced as the letter opener caught the light and glittered grotesquely between the large man's shoulder blades. A circle of red stained the area of the shirt around it.

A violent upheaval of Lou's stomach doubled her over, but since she'd not had a bite to eat in two days, there was nothing to come up. Hearing the latch at the window opening, Lou grabbed Wick's gun and moved to stand beside the window, pressing herself to the wall.

The man that had first noticed her at the hotel stepped in, and cried out in surprise when he saw Wicks. Lou found another reserve of energy and swung the butt of the gun hard into the back of the man's neck, and he slumped silently to the floor not far from Wicks.

Lou didn't take the time to look back, and with every bone and muscle in her body screaming protest, she crawled out the window and climbed down the stairs to the hard packed dirt of the town. Luckily no one was out to see her, for she was a pitiful sight. Her face was battered and bruised, dried blood matted her hair, and her dress was torn and stained by the still bleeding cuts on her chest. They seemed to stretch more with every step she took, but Lou didn't dare look at them. They were too much a reminder of what she had done.

Within minutes she was on Lightning, having left the money stashed in the stall. Her velvet skirts draped over him as she kicked him hard into a gallop. She was racing out of town when she heard a gunshot fired into the air.

Dimly, she was aware of Thomas Harley's voice, "Stop that woman! She's a murderess and a thief! Round up a posse!"

Lou closed her eyes, knowing it was true. She had stolen Wicks' money and she'd certainly murdered him. Now she was a fugitive, running from the law.

If I can make it to Rock Creek and see Kid and everyone else one more time, I'll go quietly. But I have to let them know the truth, Lou thought desperately.

It was that thought that controlled her mind and body for the next ten hours as she pushed Lightning more mercilessly than before. Behind her, on the horizon she could see a pale cloud of silver dust rising in the moonlight, and she knew it was the posse chasing her. Her head ached horribly, and she slid from side to side on the saddle precariously. Her fingers were wrapped tightly in her horse's mane, the reins loosely held as she let the horse run all out for home.

Gradually she put distance between herself and her pursuers, but she had no doubt they knew where she was going. She wasn't going to trick them, though.

She'd been running all her life. After tonight, she would run no more.

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Buck opened his eyes slowly, wondering what it was that had awakened him. Then, sensing rather than hearing someone approaching, he sat up. It wasn't unusual for horses to pass by in the night, they were on the outskirts of town, but there was something in the air, almost like a storm, something electrical, and alive, and dangerous. It had a momentum all its own, and Buck knew it was serious.

He was already up and strapping on his gun when the sound of a horse approaching at a desperate rate aroused the rest of the riders.

"Who would be riding up at this hour?" Cody wondered, jumping down from his bunk.

Kid's face went whiter than it had been, and with Buck on his heels, he ran barefoot out of the bunkhouse.

Jimmy, Cody, and Noah grabbed their guns and followed quickly. Not much later, Teaspoon was striding quickly towards his riders, who were looking expectantly in the direction the sound was coming from. The night was so still that the approaching rider could be felt in mild tremors of the ground. Jesse followed not far behind Teaspoon, and Rachel appeared on the porch of the large main house.

"What in God's name is going on?" Teaspoon wondered, the noise the boys made having caused him to wake, not the rider.

"Rider coming fast, Teaspoon, may be trouble," Noah commented.

"It's Lou!" Buck cried, his eyes having pierced through the blackness before dawn, "She's hurt!"

In a moment, they saw what Buck had. Lou was leaning far off her horse, swaying unsteadily, pitched entirely too far forward.

Lightning was running wildly, out of control, and he was coming too fast.

"Whoa!" Jimmy and Cody called, stepping bravely into the path of the lathered and panicked horse, raising their hands high.

Lightning slid to a stop and skittered sideways nervously. All the riders watched and waited for Lou to tumble off, but though she still leaned unevenly, she remained on the animal's back.

"Lou!" Kid nearly screamed as Jimmy brought the horse to a final trembling halt. He reached her in two strides and grabbed her waist. For the first time he got a look at her. They all did, and what they saw scared them.

Her face was blackened and blood covered, blood also matted her hair. She wore a dress that was torn and gaping at the top, exposing five horrible tears across her chest. Her arms and hands were wound into the horse's mane and were covered in blood. Her eyes were blood shot and full of a horror that was unspeakable.

"No Lou, oh no, God no!" Kid breathed, his voice breaking as he attempted to lift her off the horse. Tears ran unchecked down his face, "He didn't!"

Lou sat frozen, staring at him with lifeless eyes for only a moment before she slumped against her horse's neck, unconscious.

Buck and Cody were instantly at his side, trying to lift her off the horse.

"Her hands are wrapped in his mane," Buck frantically said, and tried to pry them open so they could take her inside, "I can't get her hands open, I'm afraid I'm going to hurt her!" He finally said, shocked at the strength of her grip in unconsciousness.

"Cut the mane then," Jimmy suggested, his eyes on Lou the entire time, tears filling them and blurring his vision of her.

Buck quickly did so, and everyone stood back as Kid carried Lou inside the bunkhouse, hands still clenched around black horsehair. Rachel was instantly running across the yard to help care for her.

Teaspoon glanced at Jesse who was pale and scared. All of the riders looked that way, but he knew Jesse was too young to see what he would see if he stayed around.

"Jesse, do Lou a favor and take care of Lightning. He's been ridden too hard, but I'm sure there is a good reason. Unsaddle him, blanket him, and walk him down. When he's cool fix him a hot bran mash, and check him for soundness, all right?"

For the first time, Jesse was content with doing a kid's job, and before taking the reins of the trembling horse he turned blue eyes full of fear up to Teaspoon, "Is she gonna be okay?"

Teaspoon knew Jesse was old enough to know that she might not be, and so he was honest with the boy, "I don't know son. I hope so, but I don't know..."

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"Oh dear God," Rachel breathed when she looked over Lou, who Kid had gently laid on the bed. Kid leaned over to see what Rachel was looking at. She had pulled the torn neckline of the dress aside to reveal the five jagged cuts across Lou's collarbone and chest, and they were no doubt made by a man's hand.

"Rachel, did he..." Kid paused as tears continued to roll from his eyes. He couldn't seem to muster the word, then suddenly he spit it out, "Did he rape her?"

Rachel reached back to squeeze Kid's hand, "I don't know yet, Kid. Why don't you wait outside while I look her over?"

Kid shook his head; "I'm not going anywhere Rachel."

Rachel knew better than to argue with him and nodded, "Well then, go put some water on the fire so we can clean up these cuts. They are dirty from all that dust, and I'm afraid they'll get infected."

Kid nodded and went to work for Rachel, numbly following her instructions, his eyes only leaving Lou when they had to.

"She's going to be okay, right?" Kid asked finally, holding his breath.

Rachel met Kid's eyes and nodded, "I think so. If anyone can get through this, she can."

"She already had to get through it once, Rachel."

"And she'll do it again. She's a fighter, you know that."

Kid looked away from Rachel's gaze. Yes, Lou had been a fighter. He'd always loved to see the fire snapping in her eyes, even when he wished she'd just be a normal woman and act sensible.

But tonight, there had been no fire in those eyes. And that scared him more than anything else Wicks could have done to her.

Lou began running a fever not long after they carried her into the bunkhouse, and soon was flushed and thrashing on the bed. Her skin soon broke into a cold sweat, and she slipped into a delirium.

"Why is she doing this?" Kid asked frantically as he tried to hold her still and quiet her.

"She's exhausted, and she's hurt, and she's been through hell, and she hasn't had a bite to eat or drink since she left here unless I miss my guess, Kid," Rachel said quietly, "She's made herself ill."

Lou suddenly strained hard against Kid's gentle hold and screamed at the top of her lungs, "No!"

Jimmy and Teaspoon burst into the bunkhouse, guns in hand, ready to fight who ever had gotten into the bunkhouse. The others were close behind them.

"It's all right, Teaspoon," Rachel said quietly, smoothing Lou's hair away from her forehead, "She's just a little delirious."

"Was she...you know?" Jimmy asked, looking sickened.

"I don't think so," Rachel said and was glad to see a bit of relief come to the rider's tormented faces.

"Not my sister!" Lou was suddenly mumbling as Kid helplessly tried to soothe her, "No! Not her!" Tears ran from Lou's closed eyes and she trembled and jerked on the bed. "Stay away! I'll kill you!" Lou raved on next.

Kid bowed his head. Teaspoon had never seen a boy in so much torment as he did when Kid tried to break through to Lou, who was trapped in the terror of her mind, "Lou, he's not here, you are safe! I swear it this time!"

"Isn't there something we could do?" Noah asked, shaking his head, "She's going to hurt herself, and Kid is going to go crazy. So am I."

"Wicks had her sister!" Kid suddenly said, "He might still have her! We have to go after them!"

"And where would you start looking, Kid? Let Lou tell us where to find Wicks, and we'll go for blood, but we can't find a needle in a haystack," Cody reasoned.

Lou cried out and sobbed again, thrashing out with her arms and legs. Kid took a few blows, but she was too weak to hurt him.

Teaspoon sighed, "I'm going to get some whiskey, maybe it will quiet her, and let her rest."

Not much later, both Jimmy and Kid had to hold down the thrashing, sweating, crying Lou as Teaspoon eased the whisky down her throat. It didn't take long before she had quieted.

Flushed and trembling, Lou finally ceased to fight the hands that tried to soothe her. Her torn chest began rising and falling more easily, and she slept. Still, even in the liquor induced stupor, she cried or moaned softly in fear or pain at intervals.

Kid seemed to finally breathe a little easier when Lou rested. He sat in a chair by the bed, and oblivious to the others, lay his head down beside her, holding her hand.

Jimmy wasn't far away either; ready to see her when she opened her eyes. His eyes traveled along the curve of her face, and his blood grew hotter as he took in the large cut on her temple, and then the cuts on her chest, covered by bandages now. Even the hand that Kid so gently held was covered in blood. Rachel had said it had taken both her and Kid to get her to release the mane she'd had a death hold on for so long. The coarse horsehair had cut her palms.

Teaspoon placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to swing around.

"Why don't you boys get a few hours sleep. It's dawn, but it's been a hard night."

"I don't think any of us could sleep after all this, Teaspoon," Buck said grimly.

Teaspoon nodded, "I know, me neither."

Not long after that, Jesse slowly let himself into the bunkhouse. Teaspoon instantly saw that the boy had been crying. Of all of them, he was most attached to Lou, with the exception of Teaspoon.

"I know I shouldn't be in here, but I couldn't wait any longer."

Noah quickly set his arm around the boy's shoulder; "You have every right to be here. You are family."

"Is she all right?"
"She will be," Jimmy muttered with conviction, not tolerating the other's doubtful looks.
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Morning had just started its way across the sky when a group of riders approaching caused everyone in the bunkhouse but Lou to stir. They were coming close to the bunkhouse rather than passing into town.
The boys all jumped for their guns with bloodthirsty eyes, ready to face Wicks.
"You boys calm down now!" Teaspoon roared, "You aren't going to murder him!"
"Teaspoon!" Buck cried, "Is this not enough to hold him still?"
"I'm going to arrest him, Buck. But he has to be alive for me to do that! I'll go out there!"
"We're going with you!" Cody said, "Don't try to stop us."
"You boys just stay calm, you understand me?"
"Okay," Noah, Buck, and Cody agreed calmly.
Jimmy met Teaspoon's eyes in defiance, not promising anything. Kid stared at the door, his eyes on fire.
"You two stay inside. The rest of you come on. And everybody stay calm!"
Jimmy would have protested, but he knew that if he went, the Kid would go, and there would be no controlling him. He paced while the others went outside, and Kid continued to stare at the door. Jimmy glanced towards Jesse, who met his eyes uncertainly and a restless Rachel shifted on one foot then back to the other. They all waited for Kid to do something, but he didn't move, didn't even twitch.
Teaspoon quickly scanned the crowd of men, and did not see Wicks among them. He was surprised to see another marshal among the men.
"Hello Marshal. How can I help you?"
"I am here with the citizens of Sand Creek to apprehend a murderer and a thief that has run from us."
"You think he's in Rock Creek? I'm sure I'd know about him if he was," Teaspoon smiled, relieved that it wasn't Wicks after all.
"First of all, it's not a he, it's a she. And I know she's in Rock Creek and so do you."
"What are you talking about?" Cody asked.
"Louise McCloud murdered Frank Wicks last night in Sand Creek, and another man is very close to death because of her hand!"
The boys all threw each other surprised looks as Teaspoon said, "Murder? If Frank Wicks is dead he was killed in self-defense, and all you have to do is look at her to realize that! He nearly killed her! And I'm sure the other man is one of Wick's henchmen!"
"That might be the case, Marshal. But he had every reason too. You see among her other belongings she left in the stable we found nearly five hundred dollars in cash that Frank Wicks had reported she'd stolen. And the other man was a hotel clerk, who was as gentle a soul as they come."
Teaspoon was at a loss for words momentarily. Lou had lied to them. She did have something Wicks wanted besides her. And that put them in a very bad situation.
"There must be some mistake, Marshal," Buck began.
"No, son, there is no mistake. Now, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to take me to the girl, or you'll be in danger of obstructing justice."
Teaspoon put a hand on Buck's shoulder when Buck started forward. The boy was more volatile than Teaspoon had ever seen him. The last thing they needed was for Buck to get into trouble too.
Teaspoon cleared his throat, "Sir, the girl is inside, but she is badly injured and in need of rest. She's been unconscious for some time, and until I hear what she has to say, I'm afraid I can't let you take her."
"I'll demand your full cooperation, sir!" The marshal began.
"With all due respect sir, you are in my town. I'll demand yours!"
Thomas Harley drew his gun from the back of the pack, but Cody, Noah, and Buck all had theirs pointed straight at his heart before it cleared the holster.
"Put it away!" Cody warned him.
Always a bit of a coward, Harley did so.
Meanwhile, the marshal of Sand Creek and Teaspoon stared each other down, neither willing to back down. Teaspoon finally said, "As a law enforcement officer I am duty bound to uphold the law. I give you my word as a fellow lawman that I will detain the girl and question her. Then you will be allowed to question her. After that we will reach an agreement of what is to be done!"
"She's to be taken to Sand Creek and hanged!" Harley almost shouted, and several of the men snorted in agreement.
In a moment, Jimmy appeared on the porch, his hand near his ivory handled colt. "What's going on?" He whispered to Cody.
"You don't even want to know," Cody mumbled, "They are going to try to hang Lou."
"What?" Jimmy exclaimed.
Teaspoon was speaking again though, so Cody didn't answer him, "I suggest you men make camp on the outskirts of town. I'll send a rider out to get you when she comes to."
The marshal nodded, "If you want to play it that way Marshal, we will. But you better know what you are dealing with. That girl is a vicious killer, and she'll be treated as such!"
Teaspoon didn't respond, but glared coldly at the men as they filed away from the bunkhouse. Wordlessly he turned and went inside, with the other riders on his heels.
"What are we gonna do Teaspoon?" Noah wondered.
"They can't really hang Lou can they?" Buck wondered incredulously.
"She couldn't have stolen Wick's money, could she?" Cody asked, shaking
his head, "And even if she did, she had a good reason for doing it!"
"I know that, and you know that, but there is no way we can prove it to
them!" Teaspoon muttered.
"What I'm wondering about is the other fellow the marshal was talking about. The hotel clerk. All of you and I both know that Lou didn't try to kill a perfectly innocent man," Noah said slowly.
"What is going on!" Jimmy demanded.
"Is Wicks locked up?" Kid growled, standing up.
"Wicks is dead, Lou killed him," Cody supplied.
"Good!" Kid snapped.
"No, not so good, Kid," Teaspoon said, "The marshal along with a posse from Sand Creek are calling it cold blooded murder. Seems Lou had some of Wick's money."
"What does Sand Creek have to do with any of this?" Jimmy wondered.
"I guess we won't know that until Lou wakes up, and I hope that it isn't for a long time!" Teaspoon said slowly, a plan suddenly coming to him.
"Why would you say a thing like that?" Jesse wondered for all of them.
"I have an idea that may work. Jimmy, you and Cody head for Sand Creek. Find this hotel clerk that the marshal was talking about. If he's still alive, find out what really happened to him. I need you to ride like the Devil is chasing you both ways. Get back here with the information, and the hotel clerk if he can ride!"
"Don't you think we should wait for Lou to wake up? She may be able to clear up this whole thing with two words," Rachel asked.
"No, I don't think we should wait for Lou to wake up. Once she wakes up I have no excuse for holding off that lynch mob outside. I'm going to the Doctor and getting some laudanum. Let the men think she isn't going to wake up at all, maybe they'll lose interest. Even if they don't, I don't have to let them take her until she wakes up."
"You are going to drug her? I don't like that idea, Teaspoon," Kid said, shaking his head.
"Do you like the idea of a posse dragging her back to Sand Creek and hanging her any better?" Buck asked, "You trust the law to set her free?"
Teaspoon sighed. Of all the times to have to dodge the law he hated to do it while Buck was so determined that the law couldn't work, "Buck," he sighed, "I know how you feel. But the law does work. It's just that Lou is in no shape to help herself."
Buck glared at Teaspoon and turned away, angry at him, angry at the world still. He'd lost Ike, he wouldn't let Lou be taken from them too.
"One question, Teaspoon," Cody suddenly asked, "What happens if the hotel clerk died? The marshal made it sound like he was in bad shape."
Teaspoon sighed, "I'm counting on him being alive. If not, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"Or burn it," Jimmy suggested and nodded at Cody, "Come on, Billy. We got work to do."
Cody tipped his hat, letting his eyes stop on Lou. He walked over to her and leaned down close to her. Grabbing her hand, he whispered, "Don't you worry, Lou, we're gonna get to the bottom of all this."
Jimmy too walked to the bed, but he had no words he wanted the others to hear. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, not caring what the others thought of that. With his eyes downcast to hide the worry in them, he pushed his black hat low and exited the bunkhouse.
"You two ride safe!" Rachel called after them, wringing her hands, "I hope this works Teaspoon."
Kid walked back to Lou and assumed his position beside her. Hours later, under the effects of laudanum, she was still silent and motionless, and yet Kid still kept his vigil.
The others watched over both Kid and Lou with worried hearts and settled in for the long wait.
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"Marshal Hunter, I don't appreciate these games you've been playing with us! I want to see the girl for myself! How do I know you haven't let her slip away and she isn't in Mexico right now?"
Teaspoon sighed and looked at the other marshal. He couldn't blame the man for being suspicious. Hell, he was deceiving him. "What if I let you see her, would that be okay?"
The marshal nodded, "Yes, that would be a start at least."
Teaspoon watched the marshal's face as he lay eyes on Lou. Kid stood up and moved away, eyes bloodshot, face unshaven and grim. The older man's mouth grew solemn and his cheeks flushed with anger.
"She looks better than she did, Marshal," Teaspoon said quietly, "Worked her over good don't you think? Here, look at these cuts. He damn near killed her."
The marshal didn't say anything for long moments after Teaspoon lifted the corner of the bandages to let the marshal examine the marks Wicks had inflicted. Then remembering the money, he said, "The girl still stole from him. He probably did this to her when he was trying to keep her from killing him."
"Come on, Marshal. You know what a big man Wicks was. Look at her. You think she stood a chance against him?" Rachel demanded from her seat at the table.
"How do you explain the hotel clerk then? He was a good, harmless boy," The marshal persisted.
"I can't, but I know she can, when she wakes up," Teaspoon said, and thought, or when Jimmy and Cody get back.
"I'd feel better if you'd put her in the jail," The marshal finally said, "My men would be a lot happier if you did that too."
"You questioning my word?" Teaspoon growled.
"No, but Roger Miller, the hotel clerk, had a lot of friends. And some men out there are getting tired of waiting. It's been over twenty-four hours, Marshal. I don't know how much longer I can keep them calm."
Teaspoon nodded, "All right, I'll put her in a cell."
"Teaspoon! She's in no condition to be moved around, or locked in that cold jail!" Rachel protested, and Buck and Jesse quickly nodded in agreement.
Teaspoon gave them his I-know-what-I'm-doing-look, and they were quiet. Within the hour Kid was carrying Lou, who was wrapped in a blanket against the cold, through town. Teaspoon swung the iron door of one of the cells open and Kid glared at him through sullen eyes.
"Would you rather those men rush in the bunkhouse and drag her back? Because that is what could have happened, Kid."
"I would rather have killed Wicks last week when he came in here."
"And then it would be you locked in this cell, without a chance of ever getting out of it alive," Noah muttered, "Don't be stupid, Kid. And don't blame this on Teaspoon."
Kid said nothing as he laid Lou on the small cot in the cell. Rachel was not far behind him, covering her with extra blankets. Finally, without looking Teaspoon in the eye he mumbled, "Noah's right. I'm sorry."
"I know this is trying you more than any of us son. But I want you to realize that this wasn't an easy decision for me."
Just then the marshal from Sand Creek walked through the office door. He nodded and grunted to himself in satisfaction when he saw the girl being locked in the cell. Noah almost had to drag Kid out.
"You need some rest. You can sleep on the cot in the next cell, but you can't sit up with her any longer," Rachel said, walking in front of Kid as Noah dragged him out, obstructing his view of Lou. "We'll take shifts watching her, and if there is any change you'll be the first to know."
Kid saw he was outnumbered, and he lowered his voice so that the marshal couldn't hear him, "What if we've given her too much laudanum? What if she never wakes up?"
"Nonsense, Kid, Doc told Teaspoon how much to give her," Noah hissed, "Now quit being a fool and go get some sleep."
"I guess now I'll just wait for her to wake up," The marshal said nonchalantly.
Teaspoon cleared his throat, knowing they couldn't slip her any more laudanum with him there and said, "Uh, you really don't have to do that. I can send Buck here out to get you when she wakes."
"Warmer in here," the marshal persisted, not to be outfoxed, "My bones agree with it in here much more."
Teaspoon sighed. He could only hope Jimmy and Cody would find the hotel clerk alive and ready to talk to them. He glanced at Lou and thought, just keep your eyes closed a little while longer darlin'. He sighed again. Her reality wasn't anything she should be in a hurry to get back to.
Later that night, Kid sat at Teaspoon's desk, his feet propped up on the desk, his chin on his chest, sound asleep. Everyone else had long turned in, including the marshal from Sand Creek. Only Kid had refused to give up his vigil, but the long hours of worry had taken their toll on him, and finally he rested.
He slept so heavily that he never heard the door open and light footsteps move across the office. It was his instinct rather than noise that caused him to jump awake in the chair. He'd no more than realized there were men in the jail when something crashed into the back of his head and he slumped first into the chair, then to the floor.
Lou stirred slightly for the first time at the commotion, having fought consciousness for a long while. Something told her she didn't want to wake, to face what was happening, but before there had always been soothing hands and a warm liquid poured down her throat to help her back into merciful darkness. She longed for that to come now, but it didn't.
The pain in her head was too great to hold her eyes open for long, but in a quick glance she saw she was in a jail cell. She again forced them open when she felt hands on her, expecting them to be the comforting hands that brought her escape, but they were rough, and the next thing she knew she was being roughly picked up. A groan of pain escaped her as her aching head and chest were rapidly moved for the first time.
" She mumbled softly, "Where are we going?"
"Well, Louise, you are going straight to Hell. We're gonna hang you for what you done to Frank Wicks."
The voice struck a chord in her memory, and Lou forced her eyes open to see the man who held her so roughly, oblivious to her wounds. She gasped in surprise to see Thomas Harley.
Her eyes searched the area wildly, and she spotted Kid laying on the floor, motionless.
"No! Kid!" She screamed, and a sob escaped her. Thomas Harley clapped a hand over her mouth. So great was her fear of this man, that her eyes fluttered closed.
And so, in the darkness, the posse threw her in the back of a wagon, and started back to Sand Creek, a town that had already condemned her to death, and a town that had every intention of seeing that sentence carried out.

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Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V

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