Buck was immediately surrounded by seven yelling warriors. He kept riding until they pulled him from his horse.

Holding him by the arms they pushed, poked, and pulled at him as they walked him into the center of the camp. Buck took several blows to the head, chest and legs, causing him to stumble and nearly fall, but he managed to remain standing. To fall would have meant death.

He looked around the camp as he went, spotting the girl lying on a pile of blankets. She had been beaten, her cheek and eye swollen, bruises showing on her arms and exposed legs. Her clothes were still relatively intact and he assumed that she had not been raped yet. Probably waiting to get back to the village to decide what to do with her. He guessed the beating was to quiet her down.

They stopped in front of a tall, regal looking warrior, pushing Buck down to his knees.

"Red Bear, " Buck said in Kiowa, "It is good to see you again, Brother."

Teaspoon and the boys watched as Buck was pulled from his horse and escorted into the camp. Teaspoon had sent Cody up a tree with his rifle and spaced the boys along the hill top, staying out of sight of the two sentries Buck had spotted. They were all instructed not to make a move until he told them to.

"Why did you come?"

"I came for the girl. I came because I found out what her father did. I need to know.... those children? Who were....?

"One was my daughter," came the reply Buck had been dreading.

"Lily Blossom," Buck whispered, remembering the little girl in his brother's camp the time Ike had been taken prisoner. She had given him a feather as he left to return to the Pony Express.

"Yes. And Waiting Pony, son of He Who Watches, and Bright Star, daughter of Spotted Dog." Red Bear replied motioning to two men who now stood nearby.

"How?"

"They were playing at the river. This girl's father found them and slaughtered them. Great Elk's son got away. The man removed their heads and now they wander blind in the land behind the sun."

Buck sat back on his feet, shocked, not sure what to say.

"We took his daughter and will deliver her head to him so he will know the same pain."

"If I guarantee justice against the man will you release his daughter to me?"

"No. We will have our justice, not the white man's justice."

"But the girl is not responsible for the actions of her father!"

"He must suffer the way we have, feel the pain we have."

Buck knew it was going to be difficult to convince these men to change their minds. He searched his head for arguments, or a new plan, but was coming up blank.

Teaspoon and the boys continued to wait. Kid and Ike had recognized the tall man Buck was talking with from before. They all hoped Buck knew what he was doing.

They talked and argued all afternoon. He was finally able to convince Red Bear and He Who Watches to let him take the girl. In exchange he would make sure Cooper stood trial in the white man's court.

Spotted Dog was not to be convinced. If the choice had been his, the girl would already be dead, her head mounted on a pole in her father's yard.

The boys were getting tired and hot, having been in the same positions on the hill for hours. They passed a canteen and jerked beef amongst themselves. But no words were exchanged for fear of the sound traveling.

Given the level of distraction circumstances like this created it took several moments for any of them to realize the changes that had occurred in the Indian camp.

Teaspoon was the first to see that Buck was on his feet, one of the Indians standing in front of him. The maan was obviously agitated and even as they watched he struck out at Buck, the boy dodging backward. The glint of the sun against metal told Teaspoon that the man welded a knife and was prepared to use it.

"Easy Cody," Teaspoon said quietly to the young man in the tree. "Let's see where this is goin'. But stay ready."

Cody nodded at the station master, but already had his rifle sighted on the warrior fighting with Buck, his finger on the trigger.

Buck knew he was in a fight for his life. He hadn't expected Spotted Dog to draw his knife, but the man had never trusted Buck, and it stood to reason that he wouldn't trust him now that he was living amongst the whites.

Buck dropped to the ground, dodging yet another swipe of Spotted Dog's knife and swept his leg into the man's knee. Spotted Dog landed on the ground with an oomph, but was on his feet even as Buck scrambled to his.

Red Bear and the other warriors could only stand and watch. Some of his warriors were cheering on Spotted Dog, but most stood silent, just waiting to see the outcome.

Buck continued dodging lunges, following them up with a kick or punch whenever Spotted Dog gave him the opening. And he gave Buck many opportunities. The man, in his anger and grief, was fighting poorly.

Buck found the right opening. Spotted Dog lunged at him again and Buck neatly stepped aside, swinging his arm into the back of the man's head. Spotted Dog fell to the ground face first, Buck landing on the man's back. With his right hand he pulled the man's head back by the hair, his left hand, now holding his own knife, came around the front and was laid against the man's throat. But to Red Bear's relief, that's where Buck stopped, even though Buck had every right to kill him.

"That is enough!" Buck hissed and released his grip on the man's hair. Spotted Dog would be humiliated, but he didn't deserve to die because of his grief. Red Bear knew that if Buck had killed Spotted Dog there were at least two warriors that would do their best to see that Buck never left the encampment alive.

Buck moved away. Spotted Dog rose slowly to his feet, then lunged suddenly at Buck's back. Red Bear stepped forward, grabbing the man's wrist in an iron grip.

"This fight is done! Be thankful to have your life," the chief told Spotted Dog. He released his grip on the man's wrist only when he felt the tension leave him.

"Take the girl. See to it that justice is done, even if it is white man's justice." Red Bear motioned at two of his warriors. One brought Buck's horse forward. The other cut the girl loose.

Buck mounted his horse. They placed the girl on behind him. As if by instinct the semiconscious girl wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his back. One of the warriors tied her wrists together where they rested against Buck's stomach, effectively tying her to Buck so she would not fall off.

"Ride safe, my brother, " Red Bear stood by Buck's horse. "Leave this area as quickly as you can," he added quietly. Then he grasped his brother's hand, squeezing it tightly before releasing it.

"I will see that justice is dealt, Brother." Buck turned his horse and rode out of the camp and up the hill. He silently joined the other riders on the other side of the ridge and began the trek home.

It was a tired group that rode into town around noon the next day. Buck had insisted that they ride through the night, wanting to put as much distance between Spotted Dog and his friends as he could. No one questioned his wishes, each of them being anxious to reach the relative safety of home.

The girl had slept against Buck's back most of the trip. She didn't seem to realize or care that she rode with an Indian. The time or two that she had awoke she had seen white men riding with them, so she felt safe.

They stopped in front of the Marshall's office, Sam and Emma out on the walkway waiting for them. Teaspoon dismounted, coming around to Buck's horse as the young man untied Elizabeth's wrists, reaching behind him to hold her up until Teaspoon could get a hold of her and pull her down into his arms. He silently carried her to the doctor's office.

Buck remained on his horse while the others dismounted, happy to stretch their legs.

"Where's Cooper Sam?"

"In a cell, Buck. I've sent for the district judge," Sam answered him. He looked around at the gathering crowd. "Let's go inside boys."

Sam made a production of announcing loudly to Cooper that his daughter had been returned, wanting the crowd outside to overhear and for them all to know that it was due to Buck and the other Express riders. Then he closed the door behind him and gave the boys a chance to help themselves to coffee or water.

"You boys eaten yet?" he asked. With the negative reply he got he sent Barnett off to bring back some food. The boys looked tired. They were all subdued, not their usual boisterous selves. Buck could not take his eyes off Cooper, who was sitting on the bunk in his cell.

"How's my daughter?" the man said rising to grab the cell bars. "Is she all right?" he demanded.

"No thanks to you!" Buck answered, fire in his voice.

"Easy Buck," Emma walked over to the young man, placing her hand on his shoulder. To Cooper she replied "Teaspoon took her over to the Doc's"

"She wasn't hurt bad," Lou filled in. "Just slapped around a bit." Buck nodded confirmation.

Buck was keyed up and restless from the events over the last 24 hours. He stood and walked over to the cell. Grabbing hold of the bars he glared at Cooper, unnerving the man, who backed as far away from the half breed as his cell allowed.

"You're lucky," Buck said quietly. "Your daughter is still alive. She still has her head. My niece was not so lucky." This was the first the riders knew of the relationship between Buck and Lily Blossom. They hadn't realized just how personal this had become for Buck.

"Oh, Buck, I'm so sorry!" Emma exclaimed once again trying to touch the boy, trying to offer comfort, understanding now how much pain he must be feeling. He allowed her touch only for a second then turned away. Teaspoon entered the office at that moment, glancing from face to face, finally stopping at Sam.

"So now what Sam?" he asked.

"I've sent for the judge, but I gotta tell ya, the chances of him ruling on this case are slim." Sam watched for Buck's reaction as the boy turned to face him.

"What do you mean?" Buck asked. The boy was too calm. It made Sam nervous.

"It's gonna depend on the judge. Cooper here says he didn't do it, you know, what happened to those children."

"You've got the proof!"

"It's not proof he did it Buck. He says it was one of his hired hands." Sam really didn't want to tell him the rest but he had no choice.

"It's also possible the judge won't even bring it to trial because it involves Indians."

Sam raised his hand to silence Buck's arguments until he could finish his explanation. "Some judges feel that Indians don't have legal rights. I purposely didn't tell him when I sent for him. Figured I'd have a better chance of getting him here. I'm sorry Buck."

"One of the children got away Sam! There was a witness! He did it!"

"I'm sorry Buck. I'll do everything I can, you know that." Buck turned away toward the door as Sam spoke. "Buck wait a minute. Buck....!" Sam called after him as he slammed the door behind him. Ike followed him out, Teaspoon close behind him.

On to The Conclusion!