The lawyer didn't go to the office at all that week.

On Thursday, as he waited for an answer to the wire he had sent from the logging camp, he thought about what Bentell had told him and tried to fit it in with other things he had found out about prisoners of war. He was afraid to hope for a miracle, but Jarrod was determined to leave no door closed in his search to help his brother.

As he sat, he forced himself to think about the time when Heath had identified Matt Bentell. Over and over, he asked himself if the family had been wrong in forcing Heath to protect and work with the man who had tortured him so. Just seeing what Heath had gone through for five days caused Jarrod to feel ill whenever the image of his brother, chained, blind, and lying in his own filth flashed across his mind. After actually seeing such evil, who could sentence the victim to be the protector of his tormentor? Not Jarrod. Not ever again.

As the man brooded, Nick walked into the study. "What's got you so serious?"

"Just thinking, Nick, just thinking."

"About Heath and that animal?"

"Yes, in part."

"Jarrod, did you see that boy's face when he recognized Bentell?"

Jarrod nodded as his brother went on.

"Can you tell me we were right for even one minute when we forced him to be with Bentell?"

Jarrod moved restlessly and began to answer when Nick continued.

"Jarrod, last week, when he left to go up to the logging camp, I asked him if it was all over--all that anger. He looked at me with the strangest look, and then he said it was. But if what he went through was one-tenth as bad as what I saw in that mine shaft and what Audra told us, I don't see how it could ever be over! When I think about how I was so hellbent on getting him to let it go--but how can a man let something like that go?"

Jarrod listened as his brother voiced the same thoughts and fears he had. "Nick, Bentell told me about some doctors who took care of the survivors from the POW camps."

"Bentell. I'd like to . . . "

"Nick, so would I. But we should have dealt with that eighteen months ago, when it all came out. We were so confident we were right that we never really gave Heath a chance to talk. I thought about it when you two went through that experience with Risley and the prison camp, but I didn't do anything about it then, either. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not angry with Bentell as much as I am with myself."

Nick listened to his brother but shook his head. "You may be right, Jarrod, but it's a good thing Bentell isn't around here. I don't know if I'm mad at myself or him, but I know that he must have hurt my brother a lot worse than I ever realized."

"Yes, he did, and we've got to help Heath get it all figured out. Nick, just listen to me for a minute."

Jarrod talked to Nick for a long time. The cowboy listened and discussed Jarrod's ideas with him. As they ended their conversation, Nick said, "Well, I hope we get an answer soon, Jarrod, because if we don't, I"m afraid we'll have done too little, too late."

Their eyes met in mutual recognition of their fear that Heath would never come back from the world he had entered. As they waited, Audra came in from her ride to town.

"Jarrod? There are two telegrams for you. And Sheriff Madden said he's going to ride out and see you this afternoon."

Taking the wires, Jarrod smiled at his little sister. "Thank you, Honey."

As he read the wire, Audra moved around the room aimlessly. Nick impatiently said, "Well, Pappy? Are those what you wanted?"

"I'm sorry, Nick. Yes, one's from Conrad and the other's from a Dr. Burns, who is one of the Army doctors that Paul Conrad recommended."

"Army doctors? Paul Conrad? Jarrod, what are you talking about?"

Jarrod saw the strain on Audra's face. Her eyes were no longer full of fire and life; instead, they were dull and lifeless. Not being able to come near him, she had self-imposed herself into exile from the second floor of the house. He realized anew that Heath's rejection was tearing her apart.

"Honey, I'm sorry. Let me tell you what I've found out that may help our brother."

Audra listened intently as he went through what he had learned about POWs and the treatment Army doctors had tried. She frowned in concentration as Jarrod shared the contents of the wire.

"Does Mother know about all this?"

"Not yet, Audra. I've been waiting for the reply before I said anything at all."

"Well, now that we know this, I think we should tell her."

"I agree.

And since Dr. Burns is sending one of his staff, it may be just what she needs to feel better, too."

As the three left the study, a knock came at the door. Answering it, Jarrod was surprised at the somber look on Fred Madden's face.

"Come on in, Fred. What can we do for you?"

"Jarrod, I'm sorry about Heath. How is he?"

Jarrod looked down for a minute. As he tried to form an answer, he heard his brother's voice.

"Fred, he's not doing well. In fact, he's not getting better."

The sheriff shook his head. He, too, had been hostile to this newest Barkley and had once cautioned Jarrod about taking him in. As time went by, however, Fred had become one of Heath's closest friends and sincerely was sorry to hear of his poor condition.

"Now, Fred, I know you didn't ride all the way out here to ask about Heath. What can I do for you?"

Fred looked at Audra and Nick uneasily. He looked back at Jarrod and said, "Well, Jarrod, Bentell sent some things down that I think you ought to see."

"What kind of things?"

"Nick, the main thing he sent was a kind of a journal."

"A journal? Why would Bentell--?"

"Nick, it wasn't from Bentell. His men found it in the mine shaft where that devil kept Heath."

"You mean Wyatt kept a journal? What did he say?" Audra moved curiously to Fred's side with her hand extended.

Fred looked even more uneasy. "Audra, I don't think it's something you'd need to be reading. But I thought that . . . well, from all that I've heard about how Heath isn't really understanding, . . . well, Jarrod, I just thought that--"

Jarrod held out his hand to the embarrassed sheriff. "Fred, thank you very much. May I see it?"

"Sure, Jarrod. That's why I brought it. But I've gotta warn you, even though I don't think he could have done half of what he says he did to Heath, it's not easy reading."

As Jarrod leafed through the book, his lue eyes looked up at the sheriff. "Fred, I have a feeling that he told the truth about what he did to Heath, all of it. And I agree, it's not going to be easy reading."

Jarrod and Nick went back into the study as Audra showed the sheriff out. Both men were sickened at Wyatt's detailed chronicle of his "experiments" in breaking people so that he would be ready for Tom Barkley's mongrel pup. As Nick read his careful record of each step Wyatt took to remove Heath from any accurate perception of reality, his fists clenched and his body grew taut with tension.

For Jarrod, the worst part was in reading the words Wyatt said to Heath, or as he called him, "the subject." Seeing how he had used Heath's love for his sister to force him to stay alert and fully experience each step of the torture helped him to understand why he couldn't be around Audra now, but it also filled him with rage. As Nick and he read of his gloating over the cutting of the brand in Heath's shoulder and perused the mockery around the records of Heath's pleading to see, to understand, they both were sickened. And when the monster bragged about using Audra to gain victory over his victim's mind, Nick turned and slammed his fist into the wall.

"I can't believe that SOB even told him that when he heard Audra's voice, he would know that he was the reason she was hurt. Jarrod, no wonder he can't be around her!"

Nick paced restlessly as the lawyer turned to the back of the chronicle.

"Nick, look at this!"

"Look at what? Did we miss reading about one of the times our brother had to scrabble in the dirt like a dog to get a moldy slice of bread? Or is there a special note telling how that devil enjoyed letting him lie there in his own filth? Jarrod, I can't read any more!"

"Nick, in the back, he's written down information about the drugs he gave Heath. He's explained what they do and how taking away freedom and sight heighten the power of the drug."

"So? Do we want to give him some kind of award because he thought of new ways for Heath to go through hell?"

"Nick, I don't know. But answer this:

Just what do we know about how Heath felt or what he went through in Carterson?"

"Other than the fact that he didn't like it and hated Bentell, he never talked about it too much."

"And what do we know about that time he was in prison in Rio Blanco?"

"Well, we know they whipped him, beat him, half-starved him, and though he's never said, I'm sure they spent a lot of time telling him how he was gonna die. So what, Jarrod?"

"We know about the physical things, Nick, but how did Heath deal with the fear and the pain? Do you know? I don't. He's never talked about it, and it never occurred to me that he would need to. And that time with Risley, you watched him go through physical torture, but did we ever talk about how it must have felt for him to go through that kind of thing again?"

Nick began to understand where Jarrod was going. "And you're saying that this time, it was just too much for him?"

"Yes, I am. And I think that the thing that caused him to snap was the thought of hurting Audra."

"That sounds like him. Doesn't it make you feel great, Jarrod, that we were the ones who forced him to go off and be best friends with Bentell, and we were the ones who just thought he was all right after his body healed up, and we were the ones who never once gave a thought that he--" Nick turned and hurled the glass of whiskey he was holding against the wall. As the shards cascaded to the floor, he leaned on the desk and stared into Jarrod's eyes.

"Well, Pappy, I can tell you one thing. That's my brother up there, and if there's anyone on the face of this earth who can help him, I promise you that together we'll find him and get him here. I want Heath back."

Jarrod looked at Nick and nodded.

Audra and Victoria were equally united in their determination not to let Wyatt's experiment succeed. Victoria wanted to read the journal, but Jarrod asked her not to. They compromised on his sharing a few of the less graphic episodes, at which time she agreed that this was not the time for her to know more. The entire family focused their hopes on the next day, when Dr. Burns' staff member would arrive.

On Friday, Jarrod answered a knock on the door, only to see a tall, black man in a familiar blue uniform standing there.

"Mr. Barkley?"

"That's right. How may I help you?"

"My name is James. Dr. Burns sent me."

With that, James walked into their lives. Jarrod stood uncertainly as he dealt with his surprise. "You'll have to excuse me, Mr. er . . . ?"

"James will do. And what you want me to excuse you for is your wondering why an Army doctor would send a man like me to help you out."

"Well, not exactly. But . . . "

"I think it is 'exactly.' But I'm what you got, and if your brother's as bad off as your wire said, I'm of the opinion that we should get to work. Now, if you'd show me which room is his?"

The man's attitude was that of no nonsense. Jarrod obediently took him upstairs.

Victoria was sitting by Heath's bedside, holding his good hand. She looked up in surprise as James entered.

"How do, ma'am. My name is James. Now, if you'll excuse me?"

Gently he assisted the petite woman to rise. Pulling the covers back, he looked at Heath's battered and bruised body and whistled long and low.

"Whooeee! Somebody did you proper, buddy. Yes, sir; you've been rode hard and put away wet. Mr. Barkley, what's your brother's name again?"

"It's Heath."

"All right, Heath. Now, let's see what we can do to help you out."

James capably pulled the cowboy into a sitting position. The black man talked to him, explaining each move. He deliberately kept himself in Heath's line of sight. As he talked, Heath's eyes began to focus. Reaching out with his good hand, he touched the buttons of the uniform James wore.

"That's right, buddy. The Army's here; you're going to be all right now. Heath, my name's James. We're gonna spend a lot of time together, but you just keep in mind that the War's over and you're safe."

Heath held onto James' sleeve with all of his strength as he gave a long sigh, shut his eyes, and seemed to relax. James patted him reassuringly and continued to speak soothingly to him. Finally looking up, James gave a knowing smile as he observed all the family members standing there, watching him.

"Ma'am? He looks as if he can do with some feeding."

"We've tried. It's very difficult to get him to swallow."

"Well then, looks like that's where we'll start. Could one of you bring me a spoon, some fresh water, and some molasses?"

Jarrod went back downstairs, wondering why he was automatically obeying this stranger. As he asked Silas to help him gather the things James had asked for, he thought to himself, "Jarrod, it doesn't matter if you fetch and carry for this man for the rest of his natural life. Heath's already responded to him more than he has to the whole family put together." With that mental sermon, he took the tray from Silas and followed the butler back up the stairs.

James poured water into a glass and mixed molasses into it until the liquid was very thick. Then, he bent Heath back so that his eyes were looking at the ceiling and tipped some of the sweetened water into his mouth. With an expert hand, he began to stroke the sick man's throat while crooning to his patient.

" Come on, Heath, let's drink it down. You've got plenty of water now, fresh clean water. Ain't nobody gonna make you drink anything bad again. You're safe now, Heath. The Army's here. That's right. Just swallow that water down. Then you'll get some more. We'll finish this glass and then we'll get you some more. Got plenty of food here, you don't need to be hungry ever again. Won't take long, buddy. Just trust Old James here, and you'll be eating in no time."

Audra and Nick had joined Silas and the rest of the family in watching silently. Nick had frowned at Audra as they went up the stairs, but she had persuaded him that she would stay silent and not let Heath know she was there.

As Heath finished the glass of water, his family exhaled in unison. James looked up with a smile. He saw Silas and nodded to him.

"Let's get another glass of this down him, and then we'll work on getting him out of this bed for a bit. Mr. Barkley, here's a letter from Dr. Burns; I think that it may help you to adjust to my presence and to understand why I came so quickly."

As Jarrod read the letter,

Heath continued to reach out and stroke James' uniform. He stared at the man with great confusion in his eyes. To everyone's surprise, using the same method, James had the second glass down Heath in record time.

"Oh, James! That's wonderful!" Audra's enthusiasm could not be contained. As Heath heard her voice, he cried out and tried to get out of bed. James reached out to restrain him and Heath bucked beneath his grasp. Her brother's panic-stricken eyes and incoherent cries caused Audra to run from the room in tears.

James never stopped talking to Heath, never raised his voice, but he restrained the cowboy gently and efficiently until his panic subsided. Once the patient was settled, he looked seriously at the family.

"How often does he get upset like this?"

"Only when he hears Audra's voice."

"Well, looks like he hasn't gone so far that he can't be reached. Mrs. Barkley, it seems to me that we've got some talking to do. I need you to tell me all about what happened to this boy. Is there anyone who can stay with him while we do that?"

Silaseagerly stepped forward. "I'd be proud to help out, James."

"Thank you, sir. Let me get him comfortable, and then you can take over."

Jarrod smiled at Heath's faithful friend as the family followed James out of the room. For the first time in a long time, he had a feeling that things just might be getting better. Nick joined the meeting and together the brothers gave James a brief history of Heath's time in Carterson. Then they turned to the torture he had undergone at the hands of Michael Wyatt. As Jarrod handed James the journal, the medic listened gravely.

"And when you all learned of the time in Carterson, did he talk about what he went through with any of you?"

"Not really. He referred to it in general terms."

"Well, sir, Dr. Burns is of the opinion that these men weren't treated right, even after they were released. He's found that the only thing that really helps them is to get them to talk about it. And it sounds to me as if this Wyatt fellow really played up all the things that your brother most likely fears the most."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, ma'am, most of these men who do manage to go on with their lives do all right if they don't get too many surprises and if they stay in control. They need to know what's goin' on and they need to have space to breathe, so to speak. In those camps they were starved, they had to fight for even a drop of water, and they were badly abused. By taking away everything, even his sight, and then pouring those drugs down him, he messed with that boy's mind good and proper. Then, you get him out, he comes to, and he sees the devil that ran Carterson standing over him. He just couldn't handle it all. Makes sense when you think of it from his point of view, doesn't it?"

The family looked at one another with varying expressions. Comprehension, guilt, shame, and relief mingled as they tried to process this information. James realized he had a lot of work to do, not only with the man upstairs, but also with his family.

"Mrs. Barkley, you saw how he reacted to my uniform, ma'am?"

"Yes, James."

"Has he responded to any other member of the family?"

"He's been most comfortable with Silas," Nick offered.

"And Silas would be . . . ?"

"Silas is one of Heath's best friends. They have breakfast together almost every morning. He's sitting with Heath just now."

"All right. That's good to know. Mrs. Barkley, Mr. . ." James paused for a moment as he pondered how to deal with all the male Barkleys. Jarrod recognized the problem and solved it in his capable fashion by telling James to call them by their first names.

"Thanks. That will help out!

Heath is pretty far gone, but the fact that he trusts Silas, recognized my uniform, and responds to Miss Audra's voice are signs that he's not at a place where he can't come back. You have to know, however, that it won't be easy. This boy's been through more with Carterson alone than most of us go through in a lifetime. When you add the other things you've told me, well, he must be one tough son of a gun just to be breathing."

The family smiled as they heard Heath being praised by this man who had made such an impact so soon.

"James, what specifically are you trying to tell us?"

"Well, Mrs. Barkley, what I'm trying to say as nice as possible is this: Some folks can't handle all it takes to work with someone in Heath's condition. Frankly, it's the hardest work I know. And not just for him but for everyone involved. When people see that, lots of them just give up, or if they don't want to do that, they see that they're sent to a hospital or. . ."

James never finished his sentence. Nick stood up and walked over to him. Leaning down so that they were on eye level, he spoke quietly and fiercely.

"Now, you just listen to me. We don't care if it takes weeks or months or years, we don't care how much money it takes, or how much work it is. That's not just any old someone up there; that's my brother. And I promise you, Mister, that you'll never see him sent away from here. If it takes day and night, week after week after week to get him back, then that's what we'll do. If it takes everything we have to help him, then we'll do it. You got that?"

James looked around at the rest of Heath's family. They were all agreeing with Nick. Grinning, he looked back at the tall cowboy and saluted. "Yes, sir! I got that!"

Nick reluctantly grinned and returned to his seat. James continued to explain what he needed. He asked for information from all of them about their brother and son.

"It doesn't matter if it's something good or bad, to help him, I've got to know what kind of man he is and has been. I need to know what he likes, what he hates, what makes him laugh, and what he loves. For example, I'll just bet that he loves this pretty little lady here quite a bit."

Jarrod and Nick smiled at their sister while both acknowledged Heath's special relationship to her. If Heath was ever playful, it was with Audra, and their deep bond was obvious to all who knew the two.

"James, forgive me for prying, but you speak as if you know a great deal about this area."

"Well, sir, I do. Most people don't realize that a black man can get an education, but it so happens I did. And I was a medic during the war and have worked with Dr. Burns since."

"James, we're very grateful to you for coming, and I join with my son in pledging everything we have to help you. Just what do we need to do?" Victoria asked.

"Well, ma'am, first thing is to try to figure out just what happened during this last spell of captivity. We're gonna need all the information we can get when it comes time to get that boy up there to talk about what he's been through. This what's-his-name actually did us all a favor by writing it all down. I'll use it for my bedtime reading while he sleeps tonight.

"I'll also need a cot in his room, and I'll need to make sure that there's always something like hot soup where he can smell it. When you've been starved like those men at Carterson were, you need to be able to know that there's food when you need it. I'll need rice that's mashed and strained, and if you can afford it, I sure could use bananas."

James paused for a moment and looked around the mansion. With a grin, he added, "Looks like you won't have to sell the north 40 to get them just yet!"

"Later on, when Heath gets stronger, we'll do some things that might seem strange. It's really important that, if you have any questions, you make sure you ask them where he can't hear. He's been scared for a lot of years now; if he starts to trust me, he can't have that faith shaken."

"Scared? My brother isn't ever scared. He's the bravest man I know," Audra said indignantly.

James looked at her seriously. "Miss Audra, from what you say, I reckon he must be just about the bravest man I'll ever know, either. But that doesn't mean he's not scared. Mostly, being brave means that you're scared but you do what you have to anyway. I guarantee you that brother of yours has been scared for a long time, and if you can't accept that, then you really don't want to help your brother."

Audra frowned in confusion, but she accepted what James said. Jarrod found himself thinking of a time when he had asked Heath if he had been frightened. Heath had given him his famous crooked grin and said, "Jarrod, when you've been as scared as I have as many times as I have, you learn to ignore it and go on."

James continued his list of requirements. As he finished, he said, "Well, that'll get us started. Mind you, we're not going to get through this in a week; it's going to take a long time. You all understand that, right?"

The family nodded.

"You'll all have to help me get him to talk through Carterson and some of the other things you've told me about."

Nick laughed. "If you get Heath to talking, you'll have set a record!"

James looked at the tall cowboy thoughtfully. Choosing his words with care, he replied, "Nick, there ain't anyone in the world who needs to talk more than your brother up there. And if you keep on with what you just said, he'll never open up, and he'll never really get better."

The family looked at James with concern.

"I mean what I say, now. That boy up there is gonna need all of you to help him work through this. He can get better, but if he hears any of you talk about him not gettin' stronger, you're giving him an excuse to stay in that world he's put himself in."

Victoria nodded as Jarrod offered James a drink. The man imbued confidence with every word.

"Now, Miss Audra, what's the reason that you upset this boy so much?"

"He's been that way since we got him out of that place," Nick said grimly.

Through skillful questioning, James led Audra through the terrible events she had witnessed. When the story ended, he shook his head thoughtfully.

"Well, Miss Audra, sounds to me as if your brothers are right. Heath really believes that you're either terribly hurt or dead, and judging from what you told me, he probably believes that it's all his fault. So you're going to be mighty important to his getting better. You'd better stay healthy; he's going to need you a lot in a few days."

Audra smiled at the man who was giving her a role in her brother's life again. James went back upstairs to work with Heath. That afternoon, he had him out of bed and in a chair. After James read Wyatt's journal that first night, he closed the book and walked over to his sleeping patient. Heath was frowning and moving in his sleep and grimacing with pain. James put his hand tenderly on Heath's shoulder.

"Son, looks to me like you've already spent time in hell. Reckon it's up to me to help you now. Listen to old James here; I'll see you right or die trying." His eyes were wet as he sat by the cowboy's bedside the rest of the night.

As the days went by, the family began to see measurable improvement. First Heath began to eat. James put him on a diet of thickened water, mashed bananas, and mashed rice. When he became accustomed to being fed, James took the next step and insisted Heath feed himself. The man held the cowboy's hand and guided it from the bowl to his mouth. Victoria watched him perform this activity, talking to Heath all the while, until Heath struck the spoon out of his hand. She was upset, but to her surprise, James simply grinned from ear to ear and started over again.

Soon, as his body began to heal, James had Heath in a wheelchair and out in the sun. Gradually, Heath began to focus more and more. He seemed to recognize Jarrod, Nick, and Victoria, although he still did not speak. The only sounds he uttered were incoherent grunts of pain as James changed his bandages and gently washed his torn body. Each sound had James strangely happy, although the family did not understand why. They were beginning to believe in his confidence, however, and dared to hope that Heath might return to them.

For Nick, the change was clear when James had been there a week. The black man had Heath outside. He and Nick had talked about Heath's love for horses, and James had asked Nick to bring Charger to Heath's wheelchair. Heath gazed at the stallion with interest. James gestured for Nick to bring him closer.

Charger blew gently as Nick brought him face to face with Heath. The cowboy reached up and tentatively touched the horse, who lowered his head and nuzzled the cowboy's neck. A genuine smile flashed across Heath's face, and as Nick knelt beside him, he heard a faint whisper. "Thanks, Nick."

Physical improvement came from that time on. Heath became more involved in his recuperation and notably impatient with James and Silas. He was still very reserved with his family and obviously preferred that they not spend much time with him, but he would at least answer questions as long as he wasn't startled. The day he responded to Nick and Charger, James started talking to him about how beautiful his sister was and how sweet. Heath slipped back into his private world at those times, but James continued to talk about her. He instructed the entire family to talk about Audra to his patient, and to talk about her only in the present tense.

After ten days, when the cowboy began to ask questions on his own and to respond to conversations, James knew it was time for the next step. Nick stayed outside with Heath while the medic went in to have a talk with Victoria and Jarrod. They decided to perform the experiment that afternoon. Silas went to be with Heath while they explained their plan carefully to Nick and Audra.

"James, if he goes wild again, how bad could he hurt himself?" Nick's face was sober as he waited for the black man's answer.

"Well,

Nick, that's up to you and me. We'll have to be right beside him, and we may have to restrain him good and proper. But if he never faces Miss Audra here, he'll never be able to come back whole. And we're never going to get him to face all that happened until he understands that your sister here is fine."

"All right. But I want your word that he won't hurt himself more."

"That's not something I can promise, Nick. But I give you my word that I'll do my best." With that, the plan went into motion.

Nick and James carried Heath upstairs to his room. Victoria had offered early on to move him down to the guest room on the first floor, but James felt it was necessary for Heath to be in his own room to give him security. As they settled him in bed, Victoria came to stand by her son while

Nick looked down at his brother with a smile.

"Well, boy, you're finally gettin' some meat on those bones. Won't be too long before you're out doin' your share of the work again."

"I don't know about that. I think he owes me quite a few games of cards before you put him to work outside, Nick." Audra's voice was more confident than her state of mind. She placed herself at the foot of Heath's bed, directly in his sight, and said, "Hello, Big Brother."

Heath's eyes widened. He began to breathe rapidly and looked frantically around his room. Jarrod kept a reassuring arm around Audra's shoulders as she continued to chatter, and Victoria joined Nick at the head of the bed. She put a comforting hand on her youngest son's arm, but the cowboy shook it off. He began to moan and his eyes started to lose focus.

James bent down and slapped his face once. "No! Heath, no! You have to stay with us; you have to face it!"

Heath struck out with his right arm and connected with James' chin. James reeled from the blow and then grabbed his patient and held him down. The men forced him to continue facing Audra. Never raising his voice, James continued to reassure Heath that he wasn't dreaming, that Audra had never been hurt, and that what he was seeing and hearing was reality.

Jarrod hoped he never had to see his brother like that again. Heath fought with every ounce of energy he possessed to get free of Nick, Victoria, and James. Each time he tried to slip back into his private world, James would gently slap him and force him to listen. His weakness saved the others from serious harm, but the lawyer feared what was happening to his brother's already damaged body and mind. Audra kept talking, although tears were falling down her face. Finally, Heath lay still.

Jarrod was afraid to look. He was convinced that Heath had slipped back into that mental state he had found when he saw Bentell. As he looked at his brother's eyes, though, he found only awareness, along with great weariness and pain. Gently, the lawyer took his sister from the foot of the bed to Heath's right side. James let his grip on the cowboy's arm fall.

Cautiously, Heath reached up and touched Audra's hair. As she bent down to hug him, she heard him whisper, "Audra?" As she hugged him, his arm went around her. Heath closed his eyes and simply held his sister. Victoria, Nick, and Jarrod stood and stared at the wonder of seeing Heath begin to respond.

As Heath began to realize that he was truly home and that he had not caused Audra's death or mutilation, he began to revert to his old, quiet ways. When James tried to talk to him about Carterson or Wyatt, the cowboy would become remote and change the subject.

James knew, from what he had gleaned, that this would seem normal to the Barkleys and reassure the family, but he also knew that it wouldn't help Heath. He spent each night in the same room as his patient, and he heard the screams, he saw the frantic movements, he saw the exhaustion Heath experienced when he was awakened from each nightmare. James had grown to appreciate this young man and his family, and he determined that Heath would, for once, actually reach out and find the healing he needed so desperately.

He waited one more week. During that time, the wily medic used the bond that Heath had with Silas by plotting with the butler to provide Heath with the Southern food he loved. When he heard of the cowboy's enjoyment of early times with Silas, he saw to it that those times were reinstated. With the cowboy relaxed, he would bring up Carterson and insist that Heath participate in the discussion. As expected, the blond young man resisted, but gradually, with Silas present, he began to share a few details of what had gone on.

He would not talk of the time with Wyatt at all, nor would he talk of the time in Mexico or the prison camp where he had been put in the iron box.

James waited until Heath had gone to sleep one night and slipped down to talk with Silas. As they talked, Silas smiled at him.

"James, I expect you see just how stubborn the Barkleys are."

James grinned and nodded as his new friend continued.

"Well, Mrs. Barkley says that Heath has just as much pride as any Barkley and is twice as stubborn. Reckon she's right. That boy has had to fight for everything in his life, and it won't come easy for him to be anything else but what he's made himself to be."

"Then you and me, Silas, we're gonna have to get him where he needs to go, no matter how rough a way he picks to get there." The two men put their heads together and began to plan the attack.

The next morning, James met with the family while Silas pushed Heath down to the corral to see Charger. They listened but grew dismayed as the man talked to them.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT FOR?" Nick's roar came as much from frustration as it did from a desire to know.

"Nicholas, don't shout. I apologize for my son, James, but I do agree with his question. Heath really seems to have come through this surprisingly well. He's acting much like his old self."

"Beggin' your pardon, ma'am, but his old self wasn't much healthier than the man you pulled out of that mine shaft."

"Isn't that a bit exaggerated? James, I don't mean to question your knowledge, but Heath is my son and I feel . . . "

"Ma'am, with all due respect, he isn't your son, and you've only known him two years. Now I know that he seems just fine to you, but if you don't believe me, come in his room tonight and watch him sleep."

"And that's going to convince us all that you're right? Watching him sleep?" Nick's sarcasm didn't even touch James.

"Yes, Nick. It is."

Reluctantly, the family agreed to cooperate with James' strange request. Nick and Jarrod went to the place Silas had suggested and erected an open tent there. They put cots, chairs,

and a table in the tent. That night, Jarrod was surprised to meet his brother in the hall outside of Heath's room. Opening the door quietly, they grinned at each other when they saw Victoria and Audra already there.

As they waited, Nick's face began to show compassion and understanding. Victoria and Audra cried as they watched Heath thrash in the throes of his nightmare, begging Wyatt to let him see, even for one minute. As he threw the pillows, they flinched to hear him counting the dead in Carterson and wondering if he would be the next to go.

They began to understand. But they truly believed when Nick walked over to Heath and shook his arm. James had shaken his head when they asked him to awaken Heath, but he allowed Nick to try. Heath came to with a vengeance. He struck out blindly and fought his perceived danger. Nick shouted at him to calm down; Heath looked at him for a moment and as the family watched, he slipped back into his own private world again. From that moment on, James had everyone's fullest cooperation.

James took advantage of the cowboy's withdrawal to ask Jarrod and Nick to help him get Heath to his new home. They gently put him in his cot and left him with James. As they walked back to the house, Jarrod watched Nick. He knew the pain he suffered, but Heath and Nick had grown inseparable in the past two years. They worked as a team to run the ranch, and Nick loved his little brother with a passion.

"Jarrod, this has got to help him."

"James seems confident that it will, Nick. We'll have to trust him."

Nick shook his head in frustration and turned to go into the barn.

"Nick? The bedrooms are still in the house."

"You go on, Jarrod. I'm just gonna brush Charger."

Understanding Nick's desire to help Heath didn't make it any easier for Jarrod to go on into the house. He silently turned and walked to the door. Then, he went back out to the step and sat and waited for the dawn.

Morning came early for Heath. He awakened when the sun touched his face. As he looked around his tent, his gaze focused on the open side, positioned where he could look out at the corrals of horses he loved so much. There was Charger, his head over the fence, looking toward the tent as if to call his master to come. For the first time since that fateful Tuesday when the cowboy had raced the dawn with joy, Heath laughed.

"Heath? Time to get up, boy. Breakfast, and then you and I have lots of work to do."

Heath waited for James to help him up. James simply waited. Anger began to spark in the blue eyes that had been vacant of any emotion for so long.

"Well? I need a little help here."

"You can sit up by yourself. You can reach your shirt. Then I'll help you with the rest."

Heath was startled. But this challenge intrigued him. How did a man who still only had one usable arm get himself in a sitting position when he was lying flat on a cot? Trying several different approaches, he finally levered himself up on his good elbow, and with a grunt of pain, he slid his legs over and down. Pushing his torso up, he panted with exhaustion.

James waited to see if Heath would take the next challenge. The cowboy looked to his left. The shirt was there. He looked at his left arm, still bandaged tight against his chest. With a quirk of his eyebrow, he looked up at James.

"Any suggestions?"

"Next time, before you get all the way up, reach for the shirt and move it."

"Fine for next time. What about now?"

Giving in, James walked over and handed Heath his shirt. Each separate act of dressing took the injured man much longer than it would have taken James. Finally triumphant, Heath looked at his new friend and said, "All right. Now how about breakfast?"

"It's over here."

With a glare so fierce it was comical, Heath looked at the distance from the side of his cot to the table outside. "I ain't gonna crawl, James. No way."

"Then figure it out."

By the time Heath figured out what he could do to get in the wheelchair beside his cot and what he needed James to do, he was exhausted and didn't really care about eating. James had other ideas.

The day went on. James refused to do anything before Heath figured out what he could do on his own. After the noontime meal, longing to lie down, Heath asked for help back to the cot.

"No, sir. You don't lie down until two o'clock. You rest till three, and then you go again."

"What? I'm tired now."

"Lots of men get tired, boy. It's the tired ones who learn how to work smart. And you're gonna do some work now."

With that, James pushed Heath's wheelchair over the bumpy ground to the corral. He brought Charger out to the cowboy and handed him the horse's special brush and comb. Heath stared at James in shock. Then, with a shake of his head, he reached out to his beloved horse and started brushing every part he could reach. As he worked, James stood behind him, ready to catch him if he looked unstable.

Heath did not know he was there, and James grinned from ear to ear as he heard him mutter, "Charger, seems to me that I've gone crazy--or you and me are sane and the rest of the world's gone off. Horse, that man's put me through more in one morning than I've asked of you in the past two years put together. Sweatin', figurin' out everything for myself, can't get a rest when I need it; boy howdy, Horse, you sure got it good. Ain't nobody crazy takin' care of you." With each statement, Heath's voice got stronger. There was no sweeter music in the universe to the medic who stood behind him.

As the days went by, Heath became more and more independent. He had grown strong enough to walk with a cane, and James insisted that they walk longer distances every day. His patient was beginning to be eager to work again. He was irritated with the limp that his ankle forced on him and talked of the day when he would be completely well again. James knew that the cowboy would always favor that leg, but he could not convince Heath.

The cowboy did not ask why he was in the tent instead of in the house. When a family member came by, he was polite, but he expressed no interest in coming back home. The only time he really responded was when Nick talked about horses with him. James saw to it that he spent as much time alone with the horses as was possible. Heath began to grow brown and strong again, but the nightmares persisted.

They began to take rides. Either Nick or Jarrod was always with them, because they still worried about Heath's response to other people. They even kept him sheltered from the ranch hands. When Heath was on Charger's back, however, his brothers began to see the man they knew come back to them.

The nights were the worst. Heath hated going to sleep because of the nightmares. The night James helped him to bed and then turned to leave, he asked in shock, "Where are you going?"

"Heath, I'm not going to sleep out here tonight."

"You mean I'll be out here alone?"

"That's right. You'll do fine."

What Heath didn't know was that James never went to the house. He sat behind the tent that night and listened to the cries of the man who could only talk when he slept. Shaking his head, he muttered, "You're gonna get through this, son. You're gonna do all right."

The next morning, James appeared as Heath awakened. "How was your night?"

Heath did not look up. "All right."

The cowboy felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. "Heath, since I've been here, I've heard a lot about Barkley pride, Barkley luck, and Barkley stubbornness. How much of it's true?"

"Reckon it probably all is."

"And how much of a Barkley are you?"

James had his answer in the blue flash that pierced his sight. He had seen Jarrod and Nick angry, but Heath beat them both. He stared at James until the medic grinned and raised his hands in mock surrender.

"All right, Heath. You're as much a Barkley as anyone in that big house. Lookin' at the picture of your daddy over the fireplace showed me you have his stamp."

Heath said nothing.

"It's time, boy. Time you started gettin' rid of what you've carried for so long. Time for you to get out of that prison you're in."

When Heath still stared at him, saying nothing, James shook his head in frustration. He grabbed the mirror Heath used to shave and pulled the cowboy's unbuttoned shirt off his body. The medic gave Heath another mirror and then held the first one up to his back. Heath saw the angry red scars for the first time, and when James traced the brand on his shoulder, the medic felt him grow tense.

"All right, Heath. This mess was done to you. Same with your ankle; same with the collarbone. Same with your daddy. You didn't pick him, but you're gonna carry his stamp all your life. And you're gonna carry the Barkley brand here on your back the rest of your life because of that demented SOB who tried to break you.

"But you listen to me, boy! The mess you carry inside--that's the one you've made." With each statement, James continued to rest his hand on his patient's shoulder.

"With your BARKLEY pride and your BARKLEY stubbornness, you've shoved it all down inside of you, and your BARKLEY ways don't hold with talkin' it out. But listen to me, son; if you want to get that devil out of your mind; if you want to walk free, then you've gotta talk it through! Do you understand me?"

Heath looked up at James. His face showed no expression as he reached up and took James' hand. Pulling himself up, he hobbled over to the center pole where Silas had put a small replica of the Big Dipper.

"James, do you know what this is?"

"Yes, sir, I do."

"You know why it's special?"

"Yes, sir, I do."

"When I came here, I found out that a whole lot of people, a whole lot of educated, smart people, didn't know what was special about that Dipper. But I did. I've spent twenty-six years looking for freedom, James, but I finally figured it out. Now, I figure it this way. Ain't no way I'm gonna stop bein' Tom Barkley's bastard. Ain't no way I'm gonna change the fact I was in Carterson.

Ain't no way I'm gonna change the fact that nameless devil tried to break me because I was Tom Barkley's mongrel pup. And there ain't no way, James, that I'll let anyone know just what happened, because I reckon talkin' can't change nothing!"

With that, Heath turned and hobbled out of the tent. James stood there, wondering what to do next. His answer came unexpectedly as Audra came up beside her brother and walked with him.

"Heath? I want to talk to you."

"Well, Audra, there's someone inside the tent who'd love to help you out, but I'm not up for it now."

Audra deliberately stepped in front of Heath and refused to move. When he turned to the left or the right, she quickly put herself in front of him again. Annoyed, he glared at her.

"Now, you listen to me, Heath Barkley. I love you. And I'm going to talk to you, because if I don't, I'm going to go crazy!" With that, the girl began to cry, but she refused to move.

A smile tweaked the corners of her brother's mouth. Gently, he reached down to his sister and held her close. "What's wrong, Sis?"

With that question, Audra began to talk of the time in the mine shaft. She shared the fear and horror she experienced and described the scene vividly to Heath. He listened gravely.

"So, you see, Heath, you're the only one alive who was there. And no matter what I do, no matter how much I pray, every night, when I close my eyes, I see it all over again. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

James closed his eyes as he rested his hand on the tent pole. The tall medic felt the Dipper under his hand as he waited for Heath to respond.

"Audra, I'd give anything to have kept you from that."

"I know that, Heath! But that's not the question I asked you. I want to know: Do you understand what's happening to me?"

A long sigh escaped the cowboy as he put his arm around his sister's shoulders. "Not really, Audra, but I've got a hunch I know somebody who does."

With that, he walked with her back to the tent. That day, as brother and sister sat together, James explained what was happening and why they needed to talk it out. Heath went from anger to resignation as he began to understand just how important it was.

At dinner that night, Nick and Jarrod were discussing how many hours they had spent outside and how they felt as they listened to their brother scream out in their sleep.

"Jarrod, how can we say he's getting better when every night, he's having the same nightmares? And it seems to me that the dreams are getting more and more frequent."

"Well, Brother Nick, think back to where he was seven weeks ago. I'd say that there's progress, wouldn't you, Audra?"

The pretty blonde flashed Jarrod a smile while she ate. "Yes, Jarrod, I would! In fact, I think he's going to stop being so quiet about all this very soon."

"I for one will count it a miracle when the boy says more than two sentences at one time, Audra!"

James walked to the dining room in time to hear part of this conversation. He stood there, listening, wondering just how Heath would respond if this family who loved him so much tried to force the cowboy to bare his soul to them.

Victoria's voice broke into the animated discussion. "And I, for one, believe that it is necessary for Heath to talk to us. But I think that first, we need to ask him to forgive us."

Audra looked at her in confusion. "Forgive us? Mother, what have we done . . . ?"

Jarrod continued his mother's thought. "Audra, it's not a matter of what we have done, but rather a matter of what we haven't done. Because Heath is so quiet, and because he is so tough, we've just assumed that he's dealt with all the things in his life and that they don't really bother him. For example, I think a good place to start apologizing is with the whole Matt Bentell situation. We were dead wrong there."

James turned and quietly left the dining room. As he met Silas, he shook the butler's hand and whispered, "That boy's gonna be fine, Silas. His family is gonna see him through."

Carefully, the family planned their approach. Audra told them of what went on the day Heath agreed he needed to talk. After talking with James, Victoria walked up to Heath's camp site. He was working with one of the horses, and she perched up on the fence to watch him. He turned and smiled at her and then went back to currying the horse.

"You're looking better."

"Feelin' better, too."

"How's the ankle?"

"Sore. Nuisance mostly."

"How much longer do you have there?"

Heath limped over to his mother and leaned his elbows on her knees. As she looked down at his face, he looked up at her and smiled. The love in his eyes overwhelmed her.

"Now just why are you askin' all these questions?"

"Because I miss you. I miss your face every morning; I miss meals with you; I miss everything. The house is empty."

"Nick go somewhere I don't know about?"

Victoria smiled absently at the joke and shook her head. She removed her son's hat and started running her fingers through his hair. Silently, Heath waited for her next question.

"I'm making apple pie for supper tonight."

"Sounds good."

"Silas is making the rest of supper."

"And just what is he cooking up?"

"Well, I hear talk of some unusual things for a Barkley table. Things like grits and corn pone, of fritters and ham and red eye gravy, of collard greens and . . ."

"Sounds like supper fit for a king."

"Will you come?"

Heath looked intently at his mother. A smile began to form in his eyes.

"On one condition."

"What's that, Sweetheart?"

"That you'll let me come back here when it gets too thick."

"Thick?"

"Too thick to breathe."

"Done." She dropped a kiss on his head and swatted him with his hat.

That night, the family was more nervous than if the President had dropped in for tea. Heath, cleaning up in his tent, was equally shaken. He considered not going, considered getting on Charger and riding until he could ride no more. As he hobbled to the tent opening, a tall shadow fell across the path.

Looking up, he was surprised to see his brothers. Smiling, the three slowly walked to the house.

It took a few more weeks before Heath was even remotely comfortable inside the house, but he kept at it. His family respected his need for space and did all they could to show him that respect. One night, as they were all sitting outside talking, they broached the subject of the first episode with Matt Bentell with him.

Jarrod always regretted that they never had a photograph of Heath's face when his entire family asked for his forgiveness. Confusion, surprise, and relief were names of some of the emotions he saw. They talked for a long time about how he actually felt and what they had learned.

But Jarrod knew that Heath would heal when Nick asked him what he wanted to do about Bentell. The familiar half smile, which they had missed for so long, played over his brother's face. After a long silence, the cowboy started to talk about the time when Wyatt had taunted him with his hatred of Bentell.

"I haven't had too much to do lately," the cowboy drawled. "But I've been thinkin' a lot about all that. If you all can understand and accept that there's probably always going to be a part of me that would like to use one of those axes on him, then I reckon I can live with him stayin' on. But I'd be a lot happier if he didn't come to dinner."

Victoria jumped up and hugged him with all her strength. Audra followed. By the time the women finished, Heath's face was as red as Audra's dress. Nick and Jarrod silently toasted James, who stood just inside the door, listening. The medic gave them a big smile and turned and walked away.

Two weeks later, James left the ranch. Heath was very upset, but James was firm.

"Son, you know what you need to do. I've done all I can. It's up to you now."

"But what if . . . "

The big man's hand rested on Heath's shoulder. "No more, Heath. It's time. You've got my address; let me know how you do."

Heath stood and watched as the buggy drove off. Victoria tucked her arm in his and squeezed his hand. He looked down at her and smiled.

Michael Wyatt's experiment failed. While Heath never became as transparent as Nick or as open as Audra, with continued determination, he learned to let go of some of his most deeply felt wounds. He realized that if he wanted freedom, true freedom, he had to learn to trust his family with his secrets.

One of the true breakthroughs was when Nick and Jarrod took a week and went up to the family lodge with Heath. There, in the darkness each night, all three brothers talked about their War experiences. Oddly enough, it was hardest for Jarrod to share the horrors of what he saw in combat; even more oddly, it was Heath who helped by talking of the first time he saw battle.

Later that week, as the three sat and looked up at the stars, Heath told his brothers of what Wyatt had done and said to him, and even more importantly, he told them the fear he had experienced. That night, he slept soundly.