Chapter one:    

"All right boys," Teaspoon walked in as they were all eating breakfast,

"Today, were going to go on a little trip.  Muh friend Jacob Lewis, has just moved into the old Tomkin's farm, and him and his girls invited us all over for lunch.  Now, they're from New York City, So they don't know much about livin' any place else."    

"Girls!?!" Cody looked up with an eager smile.    

"Yes," Teaspoon laughed, "He has three daughters, twins' Hanna and Kat, and Ruth who is a year younger than the other two.    

"Looks like you boys are going to have a good day." Lou commented turning Cody bright red.  "But, I have to ride today."    

"Well, Lou you'll just have to meet them some other day.  I'm sure that they'll be comin' round here a lot.  Kid, Jimmy and Cody you three HAVE to clean out the barn before we leave it'll be â*˜round 11:00, so you best be getting started." Teaspoon picked up a biscuit and went to leave but stopped and turned around.  "Emma, your welcome to come too if you'd like."    

"Why, yes.  I think I would enjoy a day with out having to cook at least one meal." Emma smiled.  "I'll be ready for 11:00."

The boys finished with their breakfast, and started their chores, Lou saddled up her horse and went inside to talk to Emma.  Kid, Jimmy and Cody started reluctantly for the barn and Buck was going to work with one of the newer horses they had just gotten. 

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"This is really great, THREE new girls." Cody emphasized the three.  "I can't wait to get over there and see um."                          

"I wonder what they'll look like." Jimmy was just as excited about it as Cody but showed much more poise.     

"I hope they're pretty."    

"Cody, what would you hope that they weren't pretty?!" Kid laughed at Jimmy's response.      

"Well I, I, I guess that wouldn't be a smart thing to do now would it." Their conversation was cut short bye Teaspoon calling to Lou.    

"Lou, get out here, Ike's back early.  MOVE IT!" Lou ran outside of the house where her and Emma were having a talk.  She quickly mounted her horse and rode off with the satchel.    

"Ride safe!" Kid yelled out to Lou.  Who responded with a wave of her hand.      

"Ike," the eagerness in Cody's voice worried him.  He knew something was up. 

"Have I got some great news to tell you." Buck took Ike's horse and put it in the barn.  Walking into the bunk house it was already 10:20 and everyone else had started to get ready.  Buck wasn't exactly paying much attention but he did notice, Cody was giving Ike a speech about first impressions, and just how important they were.  He couldn't help but laugh a little, watching Ike just nod every few minutes as he got ready, not really listening to Cody go on and on.

By quarter too they were off, everyone on horses except Ike and Emma who were riding in the buckboard.

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At the Lewis home Jacob Lewis was waiting outside, sitting in a wooden chair he had set in the lawn.  It would be good to see Teaspoon again he thought, why the last time they had seen each other was when Laura had died, right after Ruthie was born.  It has been such a long time.  Hearing the horses coming he stood up and waved to the group of people.  Teaspoon rode up to him and shook hands with his old friend, introducing the boys and Emma and saying how Lou was gone on a ride and would be back soon and he could meet him then.    

"The girls will be out in a few minutes, feel free to sit down." Jacob said motioning to the chairs and picnic table.  But, before anyone could sit down the door of the house flung open with a bang and the most beautiful girl any of the boys had ever seen came flying out.  "That is Ruthie," Mr.  Lewis said chuckling knowing pretty well what was to come.  About two seconds after the first girl came out a second came racing after her she was certainly not as pretty as the first Cody found himself thinking.     

"I'm going to kill you, you little monster." the second girl screamed.    

"That would be Hanna." Mr.  Lewis laughed.  "Wonder what Ruthie did this time." 

Ruth ran around the barn and came back out on the other side.  And shielded herself on the far side of a tree.    

"Your going to die, Ruth Ann Lewis.  I'm seri0ous this time!" Hanna screamed.    

"Please, Hannie it was just a joke.  Really, it really was.  A harmless joke, nothing to be angry about it.  And it really is to hot to run around like this.  Seriously Hann we'll die of heat stroke before you get to kill me!" Ruth did her best pleading Hanna to stop while trying to catch her breath.     

"I. . .  really don't care, Ruth!" Hanna screamed back.  Lunging toward her little sister.  Ruth had speed on her side, she had been in ballet since she was a baby and could out run her sister easily. Kat walked out of the house, and just looked at the people standing there watching the show her two sisters were putting on.  Kat looked more like Ruth than Hanna who was really her twin.  Kat and Ruth both had bright blonde hair, and ice blue eyes.  Hanna on the other hand had brown hair and brown eyes.  Quite plain compared to her sisters.  After a quick sprint across the yard Ruth scurried up a tree.    

"Can't get me up here, can you!?!" Ruth had won again.  Or at least until she got down.  Hanna stood angrily at the bottom of the tree.  Kat walked over slowly.    

"Now here comes the part where, Kat get's Hanna to leave Ruthie alone for the time being." Mr.  Lewis smiled.    

"I take it this has happened before." Buck asked.    

"Yes, it has, I'm sorry to say.  Ruth enjoys teasing  Hanna, and this same scene plays out quite a bit." Mr.  Lewis laughed thinking of all the things Ruth had done to Hanna.  "Its all harmless," he assured them.  "Kat can fix everything." Yelling to his daughter he called out "Ruthie, what did you do this time that got you deserving a death sentence?" Everyone wanted to know, and looked over at her.    

"That little monster spilled honey all over my feet!!!" Hanna screamed.  The boys all snickered.  It was a mean thing to do, but like Mr.  Lewis had said it was harmless, and quite funny.  "You should punish her, make her go to bed with out dinner or something, you can't keep babying her!" Hanna was mad.    

"Like that would hurt me." Ruth was being quite cocky now, knowing her dear daddy would be on her side, and she enjoyed showing her sister up.    

"Oh, shut up you little ballet reject, you really are no good!" Hanna was hitting low now, but Ruthie could go lower.    

"I wouldn't talk shrew!" Ruthie laughed.    

"Now . . ." Kat loved the challenge of getting her sisters to stop fighting.  "Ruth Ann, why would you want to do this to Hanna, and make her feel so angry?"    

"Ummm . . . to see her reaction."    

"All right, Now Hanna will you let Ruth come down, NOT kill her and let us eat lunch in peace while we have guests?" Hanna's mouth dropped wide open now realizing that there was an audience that wasn't just her dad and Kat.  Shooting Ruth the meanest look she could, she finally agreed to let Ruth down with out killing her.     

"Why don't you girls go inside and get the food, now that we've finished with the entertainment." Mr. Lewis smiled at the girls and patted Ruth's head as she walked by.  Kat yelled behind her shoulder       "It will be about five minutes we have to finish some stuff up." as she walked into the door and shut it.               

"Well there you have my daughters." Jacob sighed as he sat down.    

"Which ones were the twins, I thought Kat and Hanna were twins but they look nothing alike." Emma said trying hard to make conversation.    

"Ah yes it does seem that Ruth would be better suited to be Kat's twin doesn't it?  No, Kat and Hanna are fraternal twins, not identical.  Kat and Ruth look like me and act like their mother, and Hanna looks like her mother and I really have no clue who she acts like.  That blasted school she went to was the problem." He looked up at the sky at the thought of his long dead wife.  "When they were little, every child in New York City was scouted for a preforming arts school, Kat and Ruth made it in with no problems.  They're both natural born performers.  Hanna didn't get in though and she went to an all girls school." stopping to take a pause the girls came out of the house hands full with plates of food.    

"Oh it smells wonderful." Emma smiled.  Jimmy looked over at Ruth, as she set the plate down.  She is so beautiful, she was shorter than both her sisters by a good five inches he thought smiling.  Kid leaned over and whispered to him    

"You better wipe that grin off your face before they think your crazy." Jimmy sat up a little more and looked down at the table.  The girls had already went back into the house and came out with the last of the food.  Now new thoughts had entered Jimmy's head.  She's from the big city, think of all the people she's met.  I don't have a chance. 

Hanna sat at the end of the table, she was obviously still angry about what had just occurred.  Kat sat next to her father and Emma, and Ruth squeezed in between Ike and Cody, directly across from Jimmy.  His heart jumped.    

"Well I hope you all like it." Ruth smiled, her best smile.  "Hanna made the chicken, me and Kat-E made the sides, and I made the dessert which you will see after we are finished.  Nothing to special but I did my part, Hanna is the real miracle worker in the kitchen though." she sent a sweet smile down the table at Hanna but Hanna just scowled back.  "Any way, what's it like to ride for the pony express?  It must be terribly exciting." Ruth was on a roll she was an amazing hostess, and she could keep people talking for a while.  Jimmy opened his mouth to answer, but Cody got to it before him.    

"It has some exciting times ma'am.  Like the..."    

"I'm sorry to interrupt,  but please do not call me ma'am, I really do hate that.   I'd rather you all just call me,  Ruth.  And by the way, I don't know any of your names."    

"Well," Cody was determined to impress her.  "I'm William F.  Cody, and this is Buck Cross," He said pointing to Buck, Buck smiled at her.  "On your other side there is Ike McSwain." Ike gave her a sheepish smile.    

"You don't say much, Ike." Ruth said turning towards him.    

"He's mute but he can hear." Buck said.    

"Oh . . . I'm sorry if I offended you." Ike shook his head "no".  Ruth smiled at him "I'm happy I didn't"    

"Now" he said, "That fellow across the table from you is Jimmy Hickok." Jimmy gave her a little smile then looked down at his food.  "And next to Jimmy, that's Kid"    

"Just Kid?" Ruth asked.    

"Yep, just Kid." Kid answered.    

"Then . . .this lovely lady over here is Emma Shannon.  And lastly Teaspoon." Cody finished his listing of everyone "Oh yeah and there's Lou but he's out on a run."    

"Wow, there sure is a bunch of you." Ruth acted impressed, but truly she had seen many more people than this.      

"Ruth, your father was telling us how you and Kat went to a school for the performing arts." Emma thought Ruth might need a rest  from Cody's enthusiasm.    

"Yes we did." Ruth's smile brightened up she loved talking about her old school.  "We had ballet class, singing class, acting class, and then our regular study's.  Kat Excelled more at the singing part."    

"And Ruthie excelled at the dancing and writing parts of it." Kat finished Ruth's explanation of the courses.                    

"Ah, my girls I do believe we are all done eating, and some dessert is in order.  What did you make?" Mr.  Lewis asked.  To everyone's surprise Hanna answered the question.  "We made chocolate cream cake, would you like me to go get it?"    

"Yes, dear I would.  Thank you" Hanna disappeared into the house.    

"I'm afraid she's going to pull something." Ruth said more or less focusing the statement to Jimmy.  He smiled at her.  "Well," she continued "we'll wait and see." When Hanna walked out the door the pan held well in front of her.  Ruth held her breath as Hanna set the cake down in the middle of the table.  Ruth let all the air out of her.    

"Nervous" Hanna smile wickedly at her.  After the dessert was done Hanna complained of a headache and went inside.  Mr.  Lewis, Teaspoon, Emma and Kid were still talking at the picnic table while Ruth, Kat, Cody, Jimmy, Buck, and Ike went and sat under a tree in the yard.

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"I really do feel badly for my poor Hanna." Mr.  Lewis revealed to his friends  "She's always been kind of the left out one.  When they were little girls, Kat and Ruthie had many recitals, plays, and concerts for us to go to. One almost every week,  And Hanna didn't have any of those things.  She's always been jealous of her sisters.  But she also loves them very much, and try's her best to protect them."    

"She does have a fiery temper from the looks of it." Teaspoon had only seen her for a bit but he knew this was very true.    

"Yes, Ruth really tries hard to be nice to her, but she has her evil moments, and that leads to an eruption, they've been getting worse since we moved out here.  I think cuz, Ruth really doesn't really have that much to occupy herself with."    

" I'm sure I could use some help cooking and cleaning and things like that in the day if you'd like to send her over once and a while, she could help out." Emma offered.    

"That would be good.  Very good in fact.  Can she start helping you tomorrow?"    

"Yes she can, it will be nice having the extra help." Emma smiled. 

"Looks like your Ruth really is an attention getter."    

"Everywhere she goes, she is a very good talker and isn't afraid to go up to people and speak to them." Jacob laughed.  "When she was about four or five it was hard to keep her from walking off and talking to people on the street."

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"Oh my goodness, can I touch it!"  Ruth was looking at Jimmy's gun.    

"Sure." he said pulling it out of the holster.  "Just don't shoot it."    

"Well of course I wouldn't do that." Ruth giggled.  "It's really heavy.  I didn't think I would be.  Wow, this is great I've never touched a gun before!"    

"Really!?!" Cody sounded surprised.  "Living in New York City I'd think you'd of at least held a gun before."    

"I really didn't have any need to, you know.  Oh, its scary." She said handing it back to Jimmy.  Kat laughed at her sister's response to the gun.    

"Ruthie is more into swords then guns." Ike signed something and Buck translated for him, "Like King Arthur and knights and things like that?"    

"Exactly!" Ruth said excitedly.  "I love all the valor and heros."    

"Some people would call me a hero." Cody said with his most dashing smile.  Ruth just looked at him and raised her eyebrows.  Kat was the first to laugh but soon everyone was laughing at his comment.    

"I don't think that's the kinda hero she's talking about." Kat said through bouts of giggles.

Everyone talked for about an hour more.  Emma was the first to realize that they should be going soon.  And after some goodbyes they finally left back for the express station, and got home around dinner time.

Chapter Two:

Kat and Ruth sat down on Ruth's bed.  After their exciting day.    

"Oh man, I don't know why we didn't move here sooner.  I could of died happy right then and there!" Kat exclaimed to Ruth falling back on to the bed. 

"Who did you like best, Ruthie?"    

"I think I liked Jimmy best.  I don't know yet, but he is the one that caught my eye today. I'll see tomorrow when I go to help Emma out."    

"The one that didn't talk, what was his name again. . . Ike?  Yeah that was it.  He is really cute.  Oh now I'm so nervous." Kat was beside herself with emotions, worry, liking, everything all mushed in to one.    

"I can't believe Hanna, uhhh, sometimes I wish she just wasn't around. She's so embarrassing!"    

"Now Ruth you did get her riled up a bit, you have to admit that."    

"Yes but she could act like a normal human-being for once and not have to chase me around and get me up in a tree.  Its so embarrassing!  And in front of all those boys.  I could of died too but not happy."    

"Well any way.  The one, Billy Cody?...he was laying it on pretty thick don't you think?" Kat wanted to change the subject before Ruth got carried away with herself.    

"And he wouldn't stop talking to me.  Not to be mean to him but, I don't think I like him very much right now.  Looks and personality, that's the combination you need.  And he doesn't have it. "    

"The look on your face when he said some people would call him a hero was so great!  I couldn't stop laughing." there was a light knock on the door it was Hanna.    

"Would you please keep it down I need to sleep." The girls nodded they needed to get to sleep also.

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Back in the bunkhouse Cody was telling everyone about how he thought Ruth really liked him.  That worried Jimmy.  What if she didn't like him at all. He still had that nervous feeling in his stomach.  He wished it would go away. On the other side of the room, Ike and Buck were signing to each other, about the day.    

"*Isn't Kat something?*" Ike asked his friend.    

"*She is very pretty, and nice*" Buck answered back.  "*You should ask her to go on a picnic with you or something some time.*"    

"*I could never do that, she would never be able to understand what I'm trying to say*" Ike wasn't very confident about the his ability to be alone with Kat yet.    

"*You know she can read.*" Buck signed  "*It wouldn't be that hard, and you could get some quality time teaching her how to sign.*"    

"* I don't know, I've never really done anything like that before.*" Even though he did want to get to know Kat, Ike was trying to get out of even thinking about talking to her one on one.    

"*I'm tired, but you think about that, asking her, don't worry.*" with that Buck laid down and went to sleep.  That's so easy for him to say, Ike thought to himself, he's not the one who likes her.  Ike was very tired now and everyone else was asleep, he tried to sleep and finally did.

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The next few days went very well, Ruth got along with everyone there.  And Emma was very happy to have someone to help her. Ike was working in the yard getting a horse ready for Cody to ride out on later that day.  When he saw  who he thought was Ruth riding up.  He didn't give it much thought and went on with saddling the horse.    

"Ike!" that was definitely  not Ruth's voice.  Ike looked up at the rider to see Kat looking down at him.  "Ruthie is really sick.  Is Emma here?  We need her to come and help.  We don't know what's wrong with Ruth!" The fear in Kat's voice said everything.  Ike motioned for her to follow him and they went into the house, where Kat retold the story to Emma.    

"Oh dear, Ike you go saddle up a horse for me?  And then tell everyone where I went, tell them not to come out there, also. I'm sure Ruth will be alright." Ike nodded in response to Emma and walked out the door, catching one last quick glance at Kat.  "Alright Kat, come one we'd best hurry." Kat and Emma started out for the Lewis farm.  When they got there Ruth was up in her bed, but not covered.  Her face was flushed, and she was complaining of feeling dizzy and sick to her stomach.    

"After you left yesterday, what did you do?" Emma asked Ruth.    

"She was out in the garden working until sundown." Hanna said looking truly worried.  "Is she going to die?"    

"No I don't think she will die she's just over heated and dehydrated I think, get me some water.  We need to cool her off."

Emma came back a little before dinner time and told everyone that Ruthie would be fine and that all she needed was some rest and a lot of water.

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"Ike, I had a great idea!" Buck ran over to his friend.  "I was thinking about it when I was on my ride.  Okay, you don't want to actually go up and talk to Kat at this time, you can write her a letter.  And leave it at her house." Buck was obviously happy with what he had thought of and Ike agreed to do it.

Ike sat up late into the night thinking of what he should write to Kat. Finally he finished.    

"Dear Kat:       

  Ever since I saw you the first time, I have thought you were the most loving, smart, kind and beautiful person I have ever met.  I would like to get to know you more.  Would you please consider meeting me by the lake, tomorrow  around 1:00?  I know it maybe difficult because I can't speak.  But I think we can make it work.  I really like you a lot.    

Love:        

Ike McSwain "

That morning Ike showed it to Buck.    

"Its very good Ike.  How are you going to give it to her?" Ike just smiled back he knew exactly what he was going to do. Later that afternoon he took the letter and a bouquet of wild flowers he had picked and set them on the porch, knocking on the door and then leaving.  He looked back and saw the door opening,  and left assured Kat would get the letter.    

"*Buck I did it!  I gave her the letter!  What should I do about tomorrow.  Oh!*" Ike was nervous.  "*what if she doesn't come?*"    

"Don't worry so much." Buck laughed.

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Picking up the flowers and reading the letter Hanna scowled and threw the flowers into a bush.    

"I can't let my sisters EVER be associated with the likes of them." Hanna said disgustedly to herself, ripping up the letter and putting the pieces in her pocket.  "It just wouldn't be good for our name."    

"Hann?  Who's at the door?" Kat walked down the stairs.    

"Oh, Um.... no one just the wind.  Don't worry about it." Hanna shut the door and Kat went back up stairs.

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Ike got to the lake at about 12:30.  He was beside himself with nerves.  He sat there for a while checking the time often.  He stayed there till 2:45, finally he left. When he got back everyone wanted to hear how it went.    

"*She didn't show.*" Ike signed.  He looked like he was going to cry. Buck told everyone what Ike had said.    

"Don't feel bad, Ike, she wasn't worth it really, there will be other girls." Lou tried her best to make him feel better.  It isn't working he thought.    

"*I want to go be alone for a while*" he signed and left even before Buck could translate for him.    

"I feel so bad for him."  Kid said.    

"I don't know why she didn't show, Ruth says she likes him." Buck said shacking his head.  "Maybe I should go talk to Ruth and see what happened."    

"I'll come with you." Jimmy added, he wanted to see Ruth. Buck and Jimmy went and got their horses and took off.

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When they got to their destination no one was outside.  They dismounted and went and knocked on the door.  Hanna answered holding up a huge knife.  Buck gave Jimmy a little nudge.    

"Um, is Ruth home?" Jimmy asked, he wasn't to keen on having Hanna hold that knife like she was getting ready to chop them up.    

"Yes, but she doesn't want to see you." looking over at Buck she added

"Any of you.  So just leave!"  The two boys were dumbfounded, they turned and left as Hanna slammed the door shut.  They had gotten on their horses and ready to leave when they heard Kat yell to them, she was climbing out the window.  When she got down to them she told them what was going on.    

"Daddy went to town and Hanna isn't going to let either of us out of the house, until he gets back and makes her let us.  Come on, we can talk in the barn." The three went into the barn and sat on a bail of hay.    

"Why did you stand Ike up today?" Buck wanted to get down to business.    

"What do you mean stand him up I never had a date with him." Kat had no idea what was going on.    

"He wrote you a letter and left it on the porch.  He said he saw someone open the door." Buck said    

"There were no knocks on the...wait, Hanna had answered the door to no one yesterday.  I came down stairs and she said no one was there.  Oh how could I of been so stupid?" Kat was angry with herself for letting Hanna get in the way of her and Ike going out.    

"It isn't your fault, Kat." Jimmy assured her    

"Tonight, tonight meet me and Ruthie at the lake, you and Ike.  Like not late, late but like eightish." Kat looked into Jimmy's eyes.  "Can you do that?"    

"Yeah I can." he replied, slightly surprised at the seriousness in her face.    

"You best leave now before Hanna figures out I'm gone." The two men left and Kat climbed back up on to the roof and into her bed room, to tell Ruth the plans.

Chapter three:

For almost a week the four would meet at the lake and spend time together.     

"Its so peaceful here." Ruth smiled up at Jimmy, they were laying in the grass talking.  "Its good to not have to think about Hanna or anything bad.  Just me and you.    

"Is she getting worse?" Jimmy looked concerned.    

"Yes, she was threatening me and Kat-E with a knife yesterday.  I'm worried because dad left this morning for Blue Creek and wont be back for 4 days.  Hann is going to be quite angry when she finds out were gone." Jimmy smiled at her and kissed her forehead.    

"Don't worry your safe now, I wont let anything bad happen to you." Ike and Kat were about fifteen feet away Ike was teaching her signs.    

"*Beautiful*" He signed, then wrote it down on the paper.  Kat giggled.    

"How do you sign, sweet?" Ike signed sweet.  Kat looked down at her hands, after thinking for a second she signed "*You . . . are . . .sweet*" Ike laughed He signed back "You are sweet and beautiful." Kat gave him a playful punch in the shoulder.     

"Kat, Ruth get over here right this second!" Hanna stood in front of them with a pistol ready to shoot.    

"What are you doing?" Ruth's voice shook.    

"I'm saving you two from your own foolishness that is what I'm doing!" Hanna screamed.  Kat sat there with her mouth wide open she couldn't believe what was going on.  "You two are so stupid sometimes!" Hanna was waving the gun around.  Jimmy looked back at Ike, neither had brought their guns.  How could I of been so senseless as to not bring my guns.  Jimmy thought.  "Ruthie, Kat now you two stand up and come over here.  NOW!"    

"No, I wont let you take them!" Jimmy stood up    

"What, what did you say?  Wont let me take them?  Little Mister gunslinger with out a gun is telling ME what to do.  Oh boy are you mistaken." Hanna aimed the gun at Jimmy's head.    

"Hanna no please don't do anything rash.  Please, don't do this." Ruth begged. This time there was more then her pride to be lost if she didn't win this battle.  "I'm sorry Hanna, I love you so much, please, please put the gun down." tears ran down Ruth's face.    

"You stuck up little spoiled brat!  Daddy's little girl!  Never, EVER does anything wrong, Oh Hanna leave her be she's just playing isn't that right Kat?  I see your at a loss for words.  Can't twist your way out of this one can you?  NO."    

"Hanna, put the gun down!" Jimmy said in a strong a voice as he could get.    

"You just never shut up do you?  Well, we can put an end to that quite quickly." Hanna pulled the trigger, with the loud bang Jimmy flew backwards.    

"NO!!! Jimmy!" Ruth screamed.    

"Ruth Ann if you move, you'll be getting the same fate as that good for nothing poor kid if you move a muscle.  Now I have a few things I would like to say, and you ALL will listen.  And not speak until I am finished." Hanna sounded very calm.  "Ever since we were . . . we were.  RUTH you shouldn't be so rude.  The perfect hostess as daddy likes to call you, should know you look at the person when they are speaking to you!" Hanna was screaming again. She walked over and kicked Ruth in the side, Hard.  "Now as I was saying since we were young you two have been the favorite children.  You never wanted to include me in any of the things you'd do." Hanna was back to talking calmly again.    

"But you didn't like to act or sing." Kat tried to make peace.    

"How would you know did you ever ask me?  No, never.  You just assumed because I didn't get accepted to YOUR school I didn't want to help you learn your lines or anything." Kat put her head down, and Ike scooted over to put his arm around , and comfort her.  "Listen bandana boy, if you move that arm of yours any closer to my sister, I'll shoot it off!  As of a better thought, why don't you come and sit right over here." Hanna motioned the gun to a tree to her right.  "And don't try anything stupid." Ike got up slowly, looking down at Kat she was crying into her hands.  He walked over and sat down next to the tree.  "Now where was I, oh yes, you two never thought anything of me. You treated me more like a maid then a sister!  Hanna I hurt could you do this, Hanna cook this!" Ruth looked up at her.    

"Hanna were sorry, we'll try harder, I swear.  Please."     

"Did I say you could talk?" Hanna gave her another kick in the side.  Ruth coughed trying to get her breath back.

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"I'm really getting worried they should of been back by now." Lou looked around the table at Buck, Cody, Teaspoon and Emma.    

"Your right, I do believe they should of been back some time ago." Teaspoon leaned back in his chair.    

"So are we gonna go out and look for um?" Cody asked looking at Teaspoon.    

"Yep." He responded.  "You three go get some horses, Emma could you stay here incase they come back?"    

"Yes, I'll be right here." Emma looked worried.  They had missed dinner by about 1 * hours now.  And she was sure they wouldn't go to Ruth and Kat's house because Hanna wouldn't let them in. The four were off, Buck went to look at the Lewis's house just in case.  Cody, went to the creek.  Teaspoon went into town to get Sam, and Lou decided to check out the lake.

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"Your such a fake, Kat!  You act like your so sweet and loving but your not.  You're a user, and evil user!  Your so perfect and beautiful on the outside, but on the inside your evil.  Try to get everything your way.  Not this time definitely not this time!" Ike didn't know what to do, there was nothing he could do.  He was helpless, and it was killing him, he knew he just couldn't sit there and do nothing but what else could he do?  "Now on to the cream of the crop, the perfect daughter, the perfect hostess, the perfect dancer, the perfect singer, lets just face it Ruth your just perfect.  If I EVER have to hear ANYONE say how beautiful you are or how outgoing and radiant you are again, there will be hell to pay.  Dad always loved you best. He never blamed you for anything!  It was always my fault, You should of been looking after her better Hanna then this wouldn't of happened.  Hanna don't get so worked up over little things, she didn't mean to do it.  BUT YOU DID MEAN TO DO IT!!!" Hanna screamed as loud as she could, enjoying seeing her once proud sister cringe in front of her.  "Your not so brave now are you?"

Ruth just cried while Hanna laughed at her.

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Lou slowed her horse down she though she had heard voices.  She strained her ears to hear what it was.  Tying her horse to a tree branch, she walked to where she thought she heard the voices.    

"But you did mean to do it!" Lou heard that, she drew out her gun.  Deciding to be ready for anything.  Walking as quietly as possible, she peered behind a tree. To her horror she saw Ruth, Kat, and Ike being held at gun point by an obviously unstable Hanna who was waving the gun around as she spoke.  Then she looked behind them and saw Jimmy lying bloody on the ground. She had shot him, Lou was filled with anger, but knew to save her friends she had to keep calm.  What do I do?  She thought.  She heard Hanna start screaming again.    

"You think your so great with all your boyfriends, and all the boys swooning over you!  They only want you for your body you stupid child!" Lou cringed, Hanna was really out of it.  "And both of you even contemplating in your heads to spend time with . . . with . . . with these destitute, repolsive things! The Lewis name once meant something, but look what your doing to it! First I though that we'd be the end all of well-to-do family's on the new frontier, but . . . you two. It makes me sick.  Well, that will all be over and done with soon."  Hanna aimed the gun at Ruth's head.  "I'm really going to really enjoy. . ." Clunk Hanna fell over, and Lou was standing behind her.  She had hit Hanna in the head with her gun.    

"Lou you saved us!" Ruth jumped up and gave her a hug.  "Oh no!" Ruth gasped remembering Jimmy.  She ran over and knelt beside him, looking at him she realized he was breathing.  The other three had gathered around him, Lou let out a sigh of relief.  The bullet had just grazed his head he barely  had a scratch on him, although he was bleeding a bit, and knocked unconscious.  Lou got Jimmy and Hanna up onto her horse, and walked beside Ruth.  Ruth tried her best to explain what had happened but she really wasn't sure.  Ike and Kat walked behind them, holding hands.  The others were already back at the station when they all arrived.  No one said anything.  Emma took Jimmy inside, and started cleaning his wound.  Buck tied up Hanna and put her in the barn.  She started to come too as he was leaving.  But she didn't say anything.  Ike, Kat, and Ruth were all happy to lay down and go to sleep, which they did right when they got back.

Chapter four:

The days after they got back from their ordeal were somewhat of a blur.  Ruth and Kat stayed at the station for the three days their father was still away, even though Hanna was in jail, they were afraid.  When Mr.  Lewis came there, and was told what happened he didn't want to believe it.  He raced to the jail as fast as he could, to see his oldest daughter.  Where she told him she tried to "save" Kat-E and Ruthie.  Five days later the Joshten Norder Institute for the mentally unstable came and took Hanna.  The girls were heart broken.  Even if she did try to kill them, and even if it would be the best place for her.  She was their sister and they didn't want her to go. Three weeks later, Ruth got the letter that would, change her life, and send her back to New York City.  It was from the New York Ballet Troop, they wanted her to dance for them.  Ruth, torn between Jimmy, and dancing decided to go back to New York for this was a chance of a life time, that she couldn't pass up.

*Ruth became a world famous dancer, traveling the world.  She came back to Sweet Water periodically, but her and Jimmy's relation ship was never the same.

*Hanna lived out the rest of her days, in the Joshten Norder Institute, in a padded room locked away where she couldn't hurt herself or anyone around her.

*Kat and Ike, courted for a few years (not wanting to go to fast) and got married.  And Ike lives.