"Cody, please take the run for me!" Ike pleaded.

"Aw, Ike," Cody whined, "I really wanted to just relax today. I don't have a ride for two days and I like it like that."

Ike's eyes were filled with desperation. Last night, when Julie had asked him to lunch, he had forgotten that he had a ride that afternoon. "I took that ride for you last month when you had that date with the barmaid," Ike reminded. "You owe me. I'll take your run in two days."

"I'll do it for you, Ike," Lou spoke up from the other side of the bunkhouse. She was sitting with Kid, and she stood and grabbed her coat. Kid stood up and helped her with it.

"Thanks Lou," Ike said, letting out a deep sigh and relaxing.

"Don't worry about it," Lou replied. "I know what it's like to be in love."

Ike looked at Lou in shock, but she smiled one of her sly smiles, then turned and hugged Kid.

"RIDER COMIN'!"

Lou got up on her toes and gave kid a quick kiss, then ran from the room. "Later Ike!"

Ike and Kid followed Lou out, and watched as she jumped onto a horse Teaspoon had waiting for her. Jimmy came riding in, and passed the monchilla off. She rode away, waving one last time back at the boys.

As Lou rode out of sight, Ike saw Julie approaching, a picnic basket in her hands. Kid gave Ike a smile, patted him on the back, and then walked into the bunkhouse again.

Smiling, Ike jumped off the porch and met Julie halfway. "Good morning."

"You ready to go?" Julie asked.

Ike nodded, and he and Julie made their way to a pair of horses saddled. Ike helped Julie onto one, then he jumped on his. Together, they rode off.

From afar, Wilson watched Ike and Julie leave. When they were gone, he turned to look at Marcus and Josiah, who were standing behind him. "Get going," he whispered, "and make sure Adam doesn't see you. His innocence will help us more."

Marcus and Josiah nodded. Josiah moved towards the bunkhouse while Marcus slipped back into the barn.

Underneath a rock jetty, Ike and Julie sat, enjoying their lunch and each other's company. Julie had packed some finger sandwiches, a few apples, and a bottle of cider. When they were finished, Ike leaned back and stared at Julie, then pulled out a pencil and paper from his pocket. "Can I draw you?" he asked.

Julie smiled. "Well, I'm not that much of a model, but sure." Julie quickly fluffed her hair and got comfortable. Ike started drawing, and after a few moments, he noticed Julie was looked a bit upset and asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing," she replied quickly. "But is it ok for me to talk while you draw?"

"As long as you keep your face relaxed."

"Thanks," Julie said, and she relaxed. "I really can't stand silence for too long. It's funny too. I have a mute brother, mute friends, but I can't stand silence."

Julie looked around the area with her eyes, making sure she kept her face still. "It could probably be from that year before we met Wilson. For a long time, it was just Adam and myself. We tried to live by ourselves, catching jackrabbits and living in a tent near a lake. Adam was a pretty good hunter, and I taught myself to fish and cook. And we had each other.

"Then, one night, I picked some poison berries. Adam got real sick, and I didn't know what to do. I tried screaming for help, but we were too far for anyone to hear us."

Julie started to wring her hands, causing Ike to stop drawing. He stared at her face as she became caught up in the emotion of her past.

"It was so quiet that night. Not even a coyote howl, not even a single cricket. Just silence. I couldn't sleep it -- I was so scared. When morning came, I thought it would be different, but it was still so silent. I screamed for help until I couldn't scream anymore, and then the silence came back, almost smothering me. I tried to get my mind off of things by keeping myself busy. I gathered wood, some food, I even caught a muskrat for dinner. I made a soup from all the food I had gotten. Adam was still sick, but I forced him to eat some.

"I was too young to know that the smell would attract the coyotes. I protected Adam all night, keeping the coyotes away by yelling with what was left of my voice, and a burning torch.

"Adam was better in the morning, but now I couldn't talk. My throat hurt so much from screaming. I was also so tired -- I hadn't slept in three whole days! We tried to move on, but both of us were real weak. We decided to set camp up near a trail and hope for someone to come by.

"Late that night, we heard a wagon approach. That was when we met Wilson. He reassured us that everything was going to be ok. I finally felt safe, and slept for two days."

Julie snapped out of her flashback and noticed Ike watching her. "You done already?"

Ike had a look of pity and admerance in his eyes. Quickly, he looked at his pad and winced. "Yes, but it looks stupid," he replied.

"Can I see anyway?"

Reluctantly, Ike handed the picture over. On the paper was a simple sketch… of a young child with Julie's face.

Marcus came out from beneath the wagon and joined Josiah. Together, they started to lift the back of the wagon. A few seconds later, buck came out of the barn. He noticed the two and went to them. "Need any help?" he asked.

The two set the wagon down. "We think the axle is cracked," Marcus signed. "Can you check?"

"Sure." Buck slid down under the axle and examined it. "It looks like it's been sawed -"

Suddenly, the axle broke and collapsed onto Buck's chest. Buck found the wind knocked out of him and a rib or two crack. "Pick it up!" Buck yelled with what wind he had left. He looked over the bottom edge of the wagon, and saw Marcus and Josiah. They stood away from the wagon, watching Buck with stoic faces. A shiver ran down Buck's back as realization hit. They had cut the axle hoping to trap him or one of the other riders.

A few moments passed then Marcus and Josiah easily lifted the wagon and Buck crawled free. Regaining his composure and holding his ribs, Buck stared at the two mutes. Still with stoic faces, Josiah signed a reluctant apology.

Holding back his anger, Buck turned and staggered back to the bunkhouse, but watched the two men over his shoulder.