"Mama, what are we going to do now?"

"What do you mean dear?" Louise was helping Emmy change out of her dirty clothes.

"If Allen can't go on the cattle drive, we'll be short one hand. And since we still have to pay him for the work he's already done, we can't afford to hire someone else to take his place."

"I don't know dear," Louise admitted. "But I'm sure we'll work something out."

"What about Allen? He was depending on the money from the drive, and the accident wasn't his fault."

"Don't worry about that; we won't turn him out because he can't work."

"I know that Mama. I guess I'm just worried about what we're going to do."

"Your father and Sam will probably call a meeting later to discuss it. If you have any ideas, bring them up."

"I'll see if I can think of anything," Emmy promised.

Louise hugged her. "I'm proud of you. You and Joseph did a good job helping Allen today. His injuries could have been much worse."

"We only did what anyone else would have done."

"Well, I'm still proud of you. Now come on, let's go see what we have to eat."

"That sounds great," Emmy smiled. "I'm starved."



Later that night, Sam and Kid gathered everyone together to discuss the situation. None of them really knew what to do.

"If we had more time, we could ask Buck to come help us," Kid thought aloud. "That's the only solution I could come up with, and unfortunately, it won't work. What about the rest of you?"

They discussed various options for some time, but every one of them in some way would be impossible. Emmy let them talk it out for a while, formulating her argument for her idea. She was sure it was the only solution, but she had to make sure everyone else realized it too. So she listened as they exhausted all their ideas, until she finally heard Sam say, "Well, I guess there really is no solution. We'll just have to do the best we can one person short."

"I have an idea," Emmy finally spoke up.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" Kid asked her.

"Well, you won't like it..." she hesitated.

"Oh no," Kid groaned. "What is it?"

"I'm going on the drive with you."

"Absolutely not," Kid's voice was firm.

"Why not? I'm as good a rider as any of you, and I've been helping herd the cattle all week. I can do it."

"Its too dangerous," Kid wasn't budging on this one.

"You're just saying that because I'm a girl."

"I'm saying it because its true. I don't want anything to happen to any of my children."

"So if James were here, you wouldn't let him go either?"

"That's different," Kid began.

"How is it different? I have more experience in this than he does, so it can't be that. The only difference I can see is that I'm a girl, and he's not."

"She's got you there Kid," Louise said smiling. Somehow, she had know this is what Emmy would come up with.

"Sam, help me out here," Kid begged.

"Sorry Kid," Sam laughed. "But I can't argue with her."

"Okay," Kid finally gave in. "You can go."

"Thank you," Emmy hugged Kid.

"Don't thank me," he said, trying to look angry, but failing as he usually did where his daughters were concerned. "I'm not happy about it."




Two days later, Emmy hugged her mother and sister, and Emma and Cassie good-bye. Mounting her horse, she joined the others at the corral where they were about to herd the cattle out. Sam gave out orders as Zack and Pete, the other hand they had hired for the drive, rode up.

"Zack, Pete, you will ride on each side of the herd. Kid and I will ride at the head, and Joseph and Emmy, you bring up the rear."

Emmy looked a little annoyed. "I bet dad made him put me in the back. I feel like I'm just tagging along instead of helping," she muttered, so low that only Joseph heard her.

"Don't worry," he said softly, "we'll probably be busier than any of them."

Emmy watched as Sam opened the corral gate and the cattle began to move out. She and Joseph fell in behind the herd, and with a wave to those staying behind, headed toward Cheyenne.




The first day seemed to last forever to Emmy. She soon realized what Joseph had meant when he said they would be the busiest. She had never chased so many stray cows in her life. It seemed like the minute she got one back into the herd, another would wander away. She and Joseph were kept constantly on their guard, but they managed not to loose any cattle.

That night, they all sat around the campfire, eating the dinner Cassie and Emma had packed for them. They were all exhausted, but before they turned in for the night, Joseph pulled out his guitar and began to play softly. They sang along as he played some old favorites.

"That was wonderful Joseph," Emmy said when he finished.

"Joseph taught himself to play when he was only about thirteen," Sam praised his son's talent. "Lord knows where her got the talent. Neither Emma nor I could hold a tune in a bucket."

They all laughed at Sam's colorful description as Kid stood up and stretched. "I think its about time we got some sleep. Dawn's coming mighty early, and tomorrow's gonna be another long day."

They all spread out their bedrolls and bid each other goodnight. Emmy was asleep as soon as she lay down, to tired to even dream.




The next few weeks passed, everyday the same as the first day. Emmy found the trip monotonous and exhausting, but she was determined to keep up with the men. After the first few days, she and Joseph learned how to sense when the cows were going to wander, and were able to spend much less time chasing them. The herd was moving more slowly than Emmy ever thought possible; no wonder it would take them almost a month to get to Cheyenne and only four or five days to get back.

Emmy had also gotten to know Joseph better on the trip. They spent a lot of time talking since there was nothing else to do. One day, about two weeks into the trip, they began to talk about their families and childhood.

"Do you miss Virginia?" Joseph asked her.

"Sometimes," Emmy admitted. "But I love it out here."

"Did you have to leave behind any close friends?"

"Only James, my brother. I had a lot of friends, but not really any close ones. Rachel has always been my best friend, so I didn't really have to leave anyone behind," Emmy explained. "What about you? Can you imagine ever living anywhere else?"

"You know," Joseph replied thoughtfully. "I used to. I wanted to move east really bad. When I went to Virginia, I was seriously considering staying there."

"What happened?"

"Well, I really liked Virginia, but I just couldn't imagine staying there forever."

"And you can here?"

"I guess. I just don't think right now that I could live anywhere else. Maybe one day, but for now, Sweetwater is where I belong."

"That's how I feel too."

"How did you ever learn to ride so well growing up in the city?" Joseph had been curious about that for a long time. Emmy was a natural on horseback; she had a style that could only come from years of experience.

"We had some friends who owned a farm near Richmond. We used to visit quite often, and my parents made sure we learned to ride. When I was ten, we moved to the outskirts of Richmond, and Rachel and I were both able to get our own horses," she explained.

"Why doesn't Rachel ride very much then?"

"She never cared for it as much as I do. She'd rather have peace and quiet than ride fast."

"Oh, I see," Joseph paused thoughtfully. "I've noticed that she walks with a limp. I don't mean to pry but..." he trailed off. "I'm sorry. It's really none of my business."

"No, it's okay," Emmy reassured him. "We never talk about it, just because we don't really notice it anymore. But it doesn't bother her for people to ask about it. About four years ago she had an accident. She was thrown from her horse and was injured pretty badly. She was lucky though, because the only permanent injury she suffered was the limp."

"And she doesn't ride anymore because of the fall?"

"No, actually she's not at all afraid to ride. She would rather be doing other things most of the time, but she still goes riding with me sometimes," Emmy looked at Joseph strangely.

"What?" he asked smiling, realizing what she was beginning to think.

"It was you wasn't it? You're the one that helped us the day Rachel was thrown?"

"I think I was," he nodded. "I can't believe I didn't realize it before."

"We tried to find you for the longest time, but never could."

"That was the day I got the telegram calling me to Charleston. I had to leave right away."

"Well, just wait until I tell Mama, and Dad and Rachel. They will be happy to finally have the mystery solved."

They were distracted just then by a loud crash of thunder. A storm had rolled in, and they had to concentrate on the herd. Many of the cattle were getting spooked, and they all feared there would be a stampede. One cow broke away from the herd, and Emmy spurred her horse to go after it. She chased it up a hill a short way away from the herd. As she turned to force the cow back into the herd, there was a bright flash of lightning, closely followed by a sharp clap of thunder. The herd, already hard to control, began to stampede. Emmy watched in horror as Kid and Sam were caught in the middle of the runaway herd.

On to Chapter Five