"Could that be a child crying?" He mumbled to himself, "Who'd have a kid out on this kinda night this late?"

He brought his horse to a stop a few feet from the fallen buggy and called out, "Evening, looks like you got some trouble."

"We'll be fine, just be on your way, Mister." Rachel raised the gun, trying to sound brazenly confident.

"Now Ma'am, I don't mean any harm. I 'm just doin' my job. You're on private land, so why don't you put down that gun and let me have a look at the rig. I'd sure like to get in outta this rain."

"Why should we trust you? What do you mean it's your job? Private land, I didn't see any signs posted," Rachel questioned, slowly standing up still with the gun in hand.

"Well, I guess you need to trust someone right now and I seem to be the only person around. I'm the foreman on this ranch and I'm sure in this darkness you did miss the sign that was posted about a mile back. From the sounds of that youngin' I'd say he needs to be in a nice warm bed." McCall spoke kindly but always went straight to the point.

"Please Rachel, let him help us. Heath needs help. If we send him on his way, what are we going to do?" Leah's voice was frightened. She tightly held to her son, trying to warm him and muffle his hoarse coughs and whimpers.

Rachel lowered the gun. They had to trust this stranger. There truly was no other choice.

McCall made his way closer, dismounted and inspected the wheel.

"Ladies, this is going to need a new wheel. The family I work for are good folks and I know they'd want me to fetch a wagon and bring you back to the house. In the morning I can get your buggy fixed and you can be on your way."

"We hate to impose. Could you take us into Stockton? My son needs a doctor." Leah's concern was evident.

"It's another forty minutes into town and it's gonna take some time to get back to the ranch to get a wagon. I think you should just get that child outta the rain. You're not going to be imposin', they're even pretty good with some doctorin', but once we get you settled I can put on some dry clothes and I'll ride for the doctor." McCall could hear that the child indeed needed medical attention. The boy had been coughing hard the whole time he had been talking.

Rachel looked at Leah and nodded her head. "Thank you, we appreciate your help."

"Could you take my son with you? I figure that you'll be stopping at the house to tell your boss that we're coming. Would it be okay to send him ahead?" Leah questioned, not wanting to let go of her baby, but choosing to get him warm and dry as quickly as possible.

"Certainly, Ma'am," McCall answered.

The kind cowboy moved the ladies along with their belongings off the road under the shelter of a large tree.

"It's the best I can do for now, but it's a mite dryer than down by the buggy. I'll make better time if I just take the boy for now. We'll get everything else when I come back with the wagon."

Leah smiled. His voice was kind and his intentions truly helpful. She and Rachel followed him to his horse; and when he had mounted, she kissed her son's cheek and handed him to this stranger, trusting that he would get Heath to shelter and that she would join him soon.