The next few days were filled with tension. Ellen found herself wondering if Dr. Mike got her letter. If Dr. Mike came here from Colorado Springs she would have to leave her patients and Ellen didn't want anyone to die for lack of doctor.

The biggest problem was hiding the fact that she had disobeyed her parents. Especially her father. Tom had never spanked her, but after he found out what she had done he probably would.

Since the argument about Jack Tom and Ellen had managed not to make each other angry, but 9 out of 10 times they failed at that.

Ellen was playing a game of checkers with Matilda when someone knocked on the door. "I'll get it," Matilda jumped up from their game.

Ellen watched as her cousin opened the door. "Hello. Is Ellen Light in?" Dr. Mike's cultured voice asked Matilda.

"Yes. I'm her cousin, Matilda Barkley," Matilda introduced herself.

"I'm Dr. Michaela Quinn Sully and this is my husband Byron Sully. Ellen wrote me asking for prickly ash," Dr. Mike said.

"Of course. Come in," Matilda said, opening the door wide.

"Dr. Mike? Mr. Sully?" Ellen ran to the tall woman and hugged her tight.

"Ellen, how's Thomas?" Dr. Mike asked, smoothing Ellen's dark brown hair.

"Still sick. The local doctor told Mother and Father to use mustard packs and a rag boiled in water and sprinkled with turpentine and it’s not working. I was hoping that your store of prickly ash would work," Ellen said hopefully.

"It's up to God if your brother lives or dies. But does your mother and father know I'm here?" Dr. Mike asked.

"No we don't," Audra's voice floated down the stairs. Ellen looked up into the equally angry eyes of her parents. The fact that her mother didn't look as angry as her father was a big consolation.

"Hello, Michaela. Hello, Sully," Audra greeted the couple.

"Hello, Audra. If I had known that Ellen didn't have your permission to send for me I wouldn't have come," Dr. Mike apologized, hugging her friend.

"It's all right. Knowing my stubborn, obstinate daughter she probably didn't tell you about what her father and I decided," Audra said, turning to glare furiously at her daughter.

"How is Thomas? Ellen says he's awfully sick," Dr. Mike asked, her voice turning into that of a doctor's.

"Actually I'm glad you came when you did, Michaela. The remedies Dr. Merar prescribed aren't working. Sully, if you go into the kitchen Silas can give you some leftovers from lunch," Audra said turning to Sully.

"Thank you, Audra," Sully said, walking off toward kitchen.

Dr. Mike and Audra walked upstairs. Ellen turned to look at her father. "Papa, I'm sorry. I should have told you," Ellen said in a small voice.

"Yes you should have. I thought I made it clear that you were not to send off for Dr. Quinn?" Tom asked his daughter, his eyes so angry that Ellen couldn't look into them.

"I'm sorry," Ellen said, a lone tear streaking down her face. Ellen ran upstairs and slammed the door to her room. She collapsed on the bed, sobbing her heart out.

Ellen sat biting her lip as the tears rolled down. How did her father dare to reprimand her for doing the right thing? Ellen found herself thinking of Thomas. If Thomas died and she didn't send for Dr. Mike it would have been their fault.

Ellen heard her door open softly. Victoria entered the room with a cup of hot cocoa.

"Hello Ellen," Victoria said, sitting on the bed beside her granddaughter.

"Hi Nana. Is that for me?" Ellen asked, pointing her chin toward the steaming cup.

"Yes it is, Sweetheart. Ellen, I don't think you should judge your father too harshly. He does love you very much," Victoria said, not one to beat around the bush.

"Then why did he yell at me, Nana? I only wanted to help Tommy," Ellen said, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

"He's very worried about your brother's health and he was sitting up half the night to see if Thomas's fever would break," Victoria said, sitting next to her granddaughter and stroking Ellen's long dark hair.

"Nana, did I do the wrong thing by asking Dr. Mike to come? If I did I'm sorry," Ellen said in a small voice.

"Yes and no. I think you did the right thing by asking Dr. Mike to come, but you should have asked your father or your mother first," Victoria said, picking her words carefully.

"Papa would have said no. You saw how angry he was a few minutes ago," Ellen said, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands.

"He's only angry that you felt it was necessary to go behind his back and send for the doctor," Victoria said, a slight reprimand in her voice.

"Should I apologize, Nana?" Ellen asked, cocking her head slightly.

"It wouldn't hurt if you did. Your father is in the parlor," Victoria prodded, nodding toward Ellen's door.

Ellen opened the door to her room and went running down the main staircase. The sound of her mother's angry voice stopped her.

"How could you, Tom? You had no right to yell at her!" Audra hissed in anger.

"I had every right, Audra! You are my wife and those are my children! Ellen disobeyed me outright!" Tom snapped back, his voice as equally angry as his wife's.

"Ellen thought she was doing the right thing! I'm proud of what she did! If Ellen hadn't sent for Michaela I know I would have!" Audra said, her voice close to breaking with tears.

Ellen entered the parlor. "Papa, I'm sorry," Ellen said in a tiny voice as her parents looked at her.

"What for, Ellen?" Audra asked, wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"For going behind your backs and sending for Dr. Mike. I am sorry, Papa," Ellen said, looking at first her mother and, then, her father.

"Just don't do that again without our permission," Tom said finally, his voice calmer than it had been in days.

"Yes Sir," Ellen said, walking to her father. Tom pulled his daughter in his arms and held her tight as she cried. Audra didn't agree with what Tom had just said, but she didn't want Ellen to overhear as much as she did.

The prickly ash worked fast. Thomas's fever broke in a matter of days. Everyone was relieved that a fever could break that quick.

Tom was especially happy. After sitting in his son's room, watching him fight to stay alive, Tom felt like crying for joy when he had heard the prognosis.

Of course he would never show anyone that he was capable of crying. That didn't stop his daughter and wife from crying. As soon as Doctor Mike came downstairs and told them that Thomas was going to be okay and that his fever was gone, Ellen collapsed into her mother's arms and cried a river.

Tom sat by his son's bed and watched Thomas's chest rise and fall. His son's even breathing was enough to convince anyone that Thomas Lightfoot wouldn't be dying any time soon.

"How is he, Tom?" Audra asked, bringing a bowl of broth into Thomas's bedroom.

"Still alive, Audra. If that's what you mean," Tom said, smoothing a lock of his son's dark brown hair behind his ear.

The look on Audra's face was enough to tell her husband that she didn't find him humorous.

"Do you think he might be able to eat something, Tom?" Audra asked, holding out the bowl to her husband.

"We don't we ask him?" Tom asked, shaking his son's shoulders.

Thomas woke up, blinking his sapphire eyes sleepily. Thomas looked at Tom and Audra. "Father, Mother," Thomas croaked softly, a ghost of a smile touching his lips.

"How do you feel, Sweetheart?" Audra asked, stroking her son's cool forehead.

"All right I guess," Thomas said, his voice giving out.

"Can you eat a little broth?" Tom asked his son.

Thomas turned to look at his father. He nodded his head slowly. After a few spoonfuls of the chicken broth, Thomas felt much better.

'How long have I been sick?" Thomas asked, his voice getting stronger.

"A week and a half. When Sam Graywolf kidnapped you you got pneumonia and a high fever," Audra said, taking the bowl from Tom.

"How did I get better?" Thomas asked.

"Ellen sent for Dr. Mike to bring you some prickly ash when the remedies that Dr. Merar prescribed didn't work," Tom said, feeling a sense of relief that Ellen had been right to send for the doctor.

"Dr. Mike and Sully? They're here?" Thomas asked. Thomas liked Sully. When Audra and the twins lived in Colorado Sully was a father figure to Thomas.

"Yes," Audra said, running her hand through her son's dark hair.

"Is Brian, Matthew, and Katie here too?" Thomas asked, starting to feel tired.

"No. Just Michaela and Sully came. Thomas, go to sleep. We'll bring food up to you later," Audra said, kissing her son's head.

Thomas nodded slightly as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Thomas felt slightly dizzy as he dressed quickly and walked out of his room. It had been two weeks since his father had found him in that old shack and brought him in. Thomas was sick and tired of his bed.

When Dr. Mike had brought up some prickly ash she had said that he should stay in bed, but Thomas had thrown that advice to the birds. He didn't stay in bed when someone had thrown a rock at him last summer. Why should he stay in bed when he felt 100% better?

Thomas leaned his shoulder against the wall as a wave of nausea rocked his stomach.

Thomas made his way slowly downstairs and to the dining room. The sound of clinking silverware on china plates was the indication that breakfast had just started.

Thomas pushed open the oak double door, causing everyone's conversation to stop.

"Thomas Lightfoot, what are you doing out of your bed?" Audra rebuked her son.

"I think I'm starting to hate that bed," Thomas said, slipping into his chair next to Tom.

"It can't be that bad, Kid," Sully said, passing a plate of ham in front of Thomas.

"Nice to see ya too, Sully," Thomas said, changing the subject.

"We've missed you, Kid," Sully said, clapping Thomas's thin shoulder.

"How's everyone? Mr. Bray, Mr. Slicker, Miss Dorothy, Reverend Johnson, Daniel, and Horace?" Thomas asked, hoping that everyone was all right.

"They're fine. When we told them you were ill, they said to tell you they were praying for you," Dr. Mike said.

"How's Matthew's law practice?" Thomas asked, cocking his head slightly.

"Fine. He had to defend a former US Marshall a few weeks ago," Sully said, taking a bite of potato cake.

"Thomas, you are doing more talking than you are eating," Tom said, jumping into the conversation.

''Sorry Father," Thomas mumbled under his breath and forced himself to take a bite of his biscuit. It was all he could do not to gag on the biscuit.

"Are you all right, Thomas?" Victoria asked, concerned over the slightly green tint on her grandson's face.

"Yeah. Father, what are we going to do about Graywolf? He did try to kill me," Thomas said, turning to look into his father's dark brown eyes.

"Right now I'm not going to do anything. The tribal chiefs will handle Graywolf," Tom said.

"I guess I'm not a coward like you then," Thomas said, struggling to get up on his feet.

The look on Tom's face suggested that his son had gone too far in insulting his father.

"Thomas! How can you say that?" Audra asked, shocked.

"I don't know how I can say that, but I know he's not angry with Graywolf for what he did. They were friends after all," Thomas said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Thomas stumbled out of the room before anyone could say anything. Thomas knew he shouldn't have said that to his father. But he did say it and Thomas didn't know how to take back words once they were said.

Thomas knew his father was going to be furious. He had told Thomas that the tribal chiefs would punish Graywolf for abducting and nearly killing one of his own people, but Thomas had to make sure that Fred Madden was told about this.

Since Thomas was also white Graywolf was in trouble for kidnapping a white boy. If Thomas could get Fred to arrest Graywolf then the chiefs wouldn't kill the man. A court of law would send Graywolf to prison.

Thomas slipped into his brown coat and moved weakly to the stable. After saddling his horse and pulling himself into the saddle, Thomas made tracks for Stockton.

Fred and his deputy, Billy, sat at the desks drinking coffee when Thomas entered the office.

Fred stood up, concern in his eyes at Thomas's ashen face. "Thomas Lightfoot!" Fred said, wondering what possessed Audra and Tom to send this boy out in this weather and him probably as sick as a dog.

"The tribal leaders are going to kill Sam Graywolf," Thomas said, sitting down in the chair across from Fred's desk.

"Are you sure?" Fred asked.

"Yes. I asked my father. He told me the tribal leaders would deal with Graywolf, but I don't want that. We have to bring him before a judge and jury," Thomas said, closing his eyes tight to stop his head from pounding.

"All right, Boy. Billy and I will find Graywolf and bring him to justice. Are you all right though? Do you want me to go get your Uncle Jarrod?" Fred asked, concerned over the boy.

"I'll be fine. My horse, Warrior, should be able to get me home," Thomas said, standing weakly to his feet.

Thomas stumbled outside. He felt happy that this chore was done, but he also felt very weak and tired. This chore had drained his energy and strength. He felt as soon as he got home that he was going to fall asleep for a month.

Thomas pulled himself into the saddle and let the horse walk home. Of course Thomas had to stay awake or fall off the horse.

Thomas managed to make it to the barn without anyone seeing him. After pulling off his saddle and wiping the horse down, Thomas crawled into the loft and fell into a dreamless sleep.

I hope the sheriff and Billy find him, was Thomas's last conscious thought before he drifted off.

Audra looked around the house, feeling panic claw at her throat.

Victoria, Michaela, and Ellen sat in the parlor sewing. "Mother, Ellen, Michaela, have you seen Thomas?" Audra asked, causing the three to look up.

"Not since breakfast when he called Tom a coward," Victoria said, laying aside her knitting.

"It's a miracle in itself that Papa didn't get really mad at him for that," Ellen said, putting down her quilt.

"Your brother has just gotten over being sick. Your father's trying not to scold him too much," Audra said, sitting down in a plush chair.

'I'm sure he'll show up, Audra," Michaela said, trying to console her friend.

"I hope you're right, Michaela. I just can't understand it sometimes. It seems like Tom and Thomas can't talk to each other without getting into an argument," Audra said, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"It's because they're so much alike, Audra. They just can't see that. Your son has his father's temper. Tom has learned to control his a little bit better, but Thomas hasn't. I think if they just stop arguing they'll see how much they care for each other," Victoria said jerking on her crochet needles.

"I guess you're right," Audra said, picking up her own sewing. The afternoon was to be very long waiting for Thomas to enter the house.

Thomas woke up in the loft, pieces of straw and hay were sticking out of his dark brown hair. He sat for a few minutes, reflecting over his actions a few hours ago.

His father wasn't going to be too happy that his son had gone out in his weakened condition to ask the sheriff if he could get Graywolf instead of the tribal chiefs.

He wondered if he could get inside the house and up to his bed without his father knowing that he had gone to see the sheriff.

Probably not. Father is probably still upset over the last time I got sick, Thomas thought with humor. That time Thomas had gone to the reservation after getting a blow to the head.

The only one who had known about that was Ellie and he had asked her to make their father and mother think he was upstairs reading.

Thomas climbed down the ladder just as nick, Heath, and Sully entered the barn. If it was possible for an Indian's face to turn completely white, Thomas's did as he locked eyes with his uncles and Sully.

"What are you doing out of your bed, Boy?" Nick pretty much shattered everyone's eardrums with that particular question.

It would do no good to lie to Heath and Nick. And Thomas liked and respected Sully too much to lie to him anyway.

"I had to see Sheriff Madden," Thomas said simply, before he started to cough.

"Did your mother say you could do that, Thomas?" Heath asked, after handing the boy his handkerchief to cough in.

Thomas coughed and looked at his blond uncle. "No. Please, Uncle Heath, Uncle Nick, don't tell my father I went to see the sheriff. I don't want Graywolf punished by the tribal chiefs for kidnapping me and leaving me to die in that cabin," Thomas begged hoarsely.

"Thomas, that is dishonest. If you relapse your father and mother will know that you went outside," Nick said, putting his hand on Thomas's shoulder.

"Don't tell them yet. They'll find out eventually what I have done, but I don't want my father mad at me for going behind his back and asking Sheriff Madden to arrest Sam," Thomas said, adjusting the blue scarf around his neck.

"What if you get sick again?" Sully asked his young friend.

"Then you could tell my father what I did. I think I'm going upstairs to my room. See ya at dinner," Thomas said, making his way out of the barn.

The three men looked at each other worriedly. "We didn't exactly promise the boy we would keep quiet about his chore, Nick, Sully," Heath said.

"Does Thomas not like his father?" Sully asked, changing the topic slightly.

"It's not that he doesn't like his father. It's that they don't know how to be father and son. Tom feels that to be a father to the twins he has to be really stern and strict with them like all Modoc fathers are. He also doesn't want to lose them and Audra like he did before," Heath said, hoping Jarrod was right when Tom had said pretty much the same thing last summer.

"But Thomas and Ellen weren't raised Modoc for the fifteen years of their lives," Sully said.

"I know. Ellen and Thomas have told him that, but he doesn't listen. According to him children don't have much say in the Modoc tribe," Nick said, not understanding much about the Modoc race.

No one in the family really knew that much about the Modoc race, except Tom. The three men knew that Thomas wanted them to be quiet about his chore. In their hearts they promised not to talk about it unless someone asked them.

Dinner was strained as the family ate quietly. Thomas felt a little too sick to do much talking and Ellen was thinking about the Modoc lessons she had learned today from Rachel Whitecrow's mother.

The Modoc language wasn't progressing as well as it should and Ellen had to think out her responses when someone asked her a question in Modoc.

The thought caused Ellen to flush with shame. It was humiliating that her father was full-blooded and could speak the language fluently while she couldn't without stuttering or looking foolish.

Even Thomas spoke the language better than she did and he had known it as long as she did.

Ellen looked at her mother and father. Tom wasn't talkative unless he was talking to a family member or yelling at the twins for something they had done wrong.

Audra looked upset about something and apparently it was Thomas she was upset at.

"What did you do, Tommy?" Ellen whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"I didn't stay in bed today, Ellie," Thomas said, hoping that his sister's questions would stop with that one.

"That's probably the reason why Mama's angry," Ellen said sarcastically.

"Why are you angry, Ellen?" Sully jumped into the conversation.

Everyone looked at Sully. "I never said I was angry," Ellen said, her eyebrows raising slightly.

"You're playing with your food, Ellen," Tom pointed out, covering her hand with his large one.

Ellen had the grace to blush for the second time that day. "Do any of you ever feel like you want to crawl under a rock and die of embarrassment?" Ellen asked, kneading the tabletop with her free hand.

'What happened that was so embarrassing, Ellen?" Jarrod asked his niece, feeling concerned.

"I went to the reservation today and Rachel's mother has been trying to teach me the Modoc language," Ellen said, taking a deep breath so the tears wouldn't come out.

"That sounds nice," Victoria said cheerfully, trying to make her granddaughter feel better.

"No, it's not, Nana! It's awful! Mrs. Whitecrow says my Modoc is slow and I'm still mixing up words. I have to think out my responses before I answer any questions," Ellen said, one lone tear falling down her face.

"Ellen, you've only been my daughter for a few months. You didn't know the Modoc language before then. It takes time to learn any language," Tom said gently.

"Tell that to our people who still think I'm just a white girl and not part of the tribe," Ellen grumbled under her breath.

"Ellen, if that's the way you see yourself that's all you are ever going to be. Your mother was a Barkley before she married your father and that makes you and your brother Barkleys too- Victoria started.

"I know that already, Nana. What has that got to do with speaking Modoc?" Ellen interrupted, wishing that Victoria wouldn't yell at her.

"Being a Barkley won't help you with speaking Modoc, but you shouldn't feel sorry for yourself either. The Ellen Lightfoot that I knew a few years ago wouldn't feel sorry for herself. What has happened to her?" Victoria asked, standing up and walking to her granddaughter's side.

"I don't know. It's like when I found out about my Indian blood I figured it was time I grew up," Ellen said, her voice tiny.

"I know what that feels like," Thomas muttered under his breath. Everyone looked at him.

"If you think you are so grown up, Thomas Lightfoot, you had better tell us where you were," Audra said, her tone frosty.

"I had to run an errand. Believe me if my errand works out like it should, you'll hear about it, Mother," Thomas said, picking up his glass of milk.

The rest of the meal was taken in silence. Audra and Victoria were too upset to speak with either twin and Tom and the others were too concerned. Tom found himself wondering what his son's errand was. Whatever it was Thomas must have thought his father wouldn't like it.

Tom felt amusement well up inside. Thomas knew his father too well. Tom looked down at his pot roast, trying to forget Thomas's errand.

Thomas sat playing checkers with Jack Watson. No matter what Tom said about the boy, Thomas liked him and thought he was perfect for his twin.

"So, what did you do that made your mother upset?" Jack asked, clearly out of the blue.

"You really want to know, Jack?" Thomas asked, taking one of Jack's checkers.

"Yep," Jack said, making his next move.

"I went to the sheriff to see if he would arrest Graywolf. I don't want the tribal chiefs to punish those Indians for what they did to me," Thomas said, pushing a lock of dark hair out of his eyes.

"When are you going to tell your father?" Jack asked, feeling concern for his friend.

"I don't know. I don't think now is the time to tell him. Father's upset that the man had the audacity to kidnap and lock me in that cabin. He might tell the chiefs to kill Graywolf and I don't want that," Thomas said, moving a checker forward.

"He will find out eventually," Jack said, wondering if this was not the brightest thing his friend could have done.

"I know, but I'd rather him find out when Graywolf is arrested and put in jail," Thomas said, with a sigh that came from his toes.

"Are you going to tell Ellen?" Jack asked. Even though he was not allowed to marry her he still loved her a great deal. Jack wouldn't marry Ellen without Tom's blessing. He respected the man too much to do that to him and the Barkley family.

"Yes. Do you still love my sister?" Thomas asked, feeling stupid for even asking.

"Yes, but I want to hear it from your father that it's okay that I marry your sister. Promise me that you won't tell Ellen that I still love her," Jack said, standing up.

"That's a silly promise. Ellen knows you love her and she loves you," Thomas retorted, sounding like Nick Barkley.

"Not any sillier than you not wanting to tell your father what you did," Jack snapped back, just as upset as Thomas.

Thomas pressed his lips together in a thin line. "I stand corrected. I'm going to go finish some of my schoolwork that Ellie brought me," Thomas said stiffly.

'Are you still going to tell you father?" Jack asked, following his friend to the stairs.

"Tomorrow. I just hope he's not going to be angry when he finds out about it," Thomas said, with a resigned sigh as he went up to his room.

Tom rode his horse into the Modoc reservation followed by Heath, Jarrod, Nick, and Sully. With the snow on the ground there weren't a whole lot of people around.

A few men stood in front of the meetinghouse smoking their pipes of red willow bark. Tom and the others slowed their horses in front of Jack Lightfoot's cabin.

Ruth Lightfoot opened the door, her elderly face becoming a thousand wrinkles by her smile. "Hello, Nephew," Ruth greeted Tom in Modoc.

"Aunt Ruth, you know my wife's brothers and this is Sully. His wife is a doctor in Colorado," Tom said, first in English then in Modoc. Tom didn't like using just one language when either side of his family was in the room. If he spoke in just Modoc Audra and her family wouldn't understand anything that he said. If he spoke in English then his Modoc relations wouldn't know what he said either. So he just used both languages around them and translated for his wife and her family.

"It's a pleasure. Please come in. I have soup on the hearth," Ruth said in Modoc and waited for her nephew to translate.

Ruth could speak a little English, but not that well. Her husband had learned more of it in the recent years since their nephew had married a white woman. Jack said that if his nephew's children didn't understand Modoc that well then they had to learn English for their sakes.

"How Ellen, Tho-maas?" Ruth asked in broken English. Ruth called her great-nephew Tho-mas since it was hard to pronounce it like a white man.

Tom sighed a deep sigh that came from his toes. "I don't know. Thomas is getting over his bout of pneumonia and fever, but he has done something and he won't tell me about it," Tom said in Modoc, not bothering to translate for the Barkleys or Sully.

Ruth handed bowls of water lily bulbs to all the men. "You much like father. Before mother die your father much strict," Ruth said, still in her broken English.

"I never hid anything from my father, Aunt Ruth!" Tom exploded in anger.

"Tom, I think she is trying to say is that you are just like your father and your son is like you at fifteen. I think Thomas feels that if he tells you the truth that you will be so angry that you won't want him as your son," Jarrod said, picking his words carefully in front of his angry brother-in-law.

Before Tom could respond Jack and some of the tribal chiefs came in the room. Some of the faces were contorted with anger.

Billy Smallfox, the leader of the Modocs on the reservation, was the first to speak. Billy spoke in English since their was white men present.

"Hello Tom. I suppose you have heard that Graywolf has been arrested," Billy said, after shaking Tom's hand.

"I haven't heard. When did it happen?" Tom asked, wondering what this had to do with him.

"We went to ask the white man's sheriff in Stockton if he would deliver Sam to us and he said no," Adam Cottontree said, his voice barely hiding the anger.

"Did he give you a reason?" Jarrod asked Billy. Jarrod was a friend of the Modoc people and Billy often asked Jarrod about the Modoc Reparations Bill.

"Yes. He said that your son didn't wish for Graywolf to be punished for nearly killing him. He came to the white man a few days ago and asked if Graywolf could be tried by the white man's justice," Billy said, his voice turning steely.

That was it. That was why Thomas didn't want his father or mother to know about his errand. Tom felt more than a little irritated. His son had lied to him again like that time with the rock last summer.

Tom took a few deep breaths before answering. "I am sorry for my son's actions. He's only a boy and he thought he was doing the right thing," Tom said slowly.

"No need to apologize, Tom. You didn't know what the boy was planning. But he did interfere in Modoc law. Are you going to talk to him?" Billy asked, clapping his friend's shoulder.

"As soon as I get back to the ranch," Tom said, his jaw tightening.

All the men-except Jack-nodded their heads and left the cabin. "He thought he was doing the right thing, Nephew. Don't judge him to harshly," Ruth said, placing her tiny hand on Tom's shoulder.

"We knew what the boy was planning too, Tom," Nick said, indicating himself, Heath, and Sully.

"What?" Tom asked surprised.

"The day of Thomas's errand we found him in the barn. He told us what he did. Don't be too angry with him, Lightfoot. He just didn't want to see a man killed," Sully said, jumping to Thomas's defense.

Tom thought through this whole thing. While it was noble that Thomas didn't want a man killed, the boy shouldn't have lied to him. Tom was going to say that when he got back to the ranch.

The five men said good-bye and mounted their horses. The whole trip back to the ranch was taken in silence.

Thomas felt the banister as he walked down the stairs. If he held it tight chances were he wouldn't fall down these steps. He didn't want to give his family another reason to worry about him.

Thomas couldn't have picked worse timing. Just as he got within sight of the door his father, uncles and Sully came in the house.

If his father's face was any indication he was very upset about something. "Thomas Lightfoot, get down here," Tom ordered sharply.

Thomas knew he would be stupid to say no to that tone of voice. What have I done now? Thomas thought irritably.

Thomas slowly made his way down the steps and managed to look his father in the eye.

"I ought to take you over my knee for what you have done," Tom threatened.

"What did I do, Uncle Jarrod?" Thomas asked, looking toward his favorite uncle.

"You kind of interfered with Modoc law," Jarrod said, trying to smooth over the tense situation between his brother-in-law and nephew.

Thomas winced slightly. "Oh that. Well, I'm sorry I disgraced you, Father. But in case you haven't noticed I am not full-blooded Modoc. Some of the laws don't apply to me," Thomas said, his voice dripping with scorn.

"Don't you backtalk me, Boy!" Thomas snapped sharply.

"Don't call me Boy! I am fifteen not three!" Thomas said, his father's temper flaring up at that moment.

"If you want me to treat you like a man, behave like one," Tom snapped back.

"Yeah right. You want me to think like you and every other Modoc on the reservation. I can't do that. I have to know when to be Modoc and when to be white. And killing someone I am not going to agree with. I am sorry I disobeyed you, but I am not sorry that I went to the sheriff," Thomas said, his jaw set defiantly.

Then a dizzy spell attacked. Thomas put his hand to his head and sank to the floor.

Heath and Sully rushed to him. "Tom, is this a good thing to do to the boy? He only wanted to see justice done and he's still recovering from the pneumonia," Heath said, wrapping Thomas's arm around his neck while Sully wrapped the other arm around his neck.

The two men carried Thomas into the parlor and placed him on an overstuffed chair. "Heath's right, Tom. Your children adore you, but they are not you. They have to follow their hearts," Jarrod said, before going to tell Audra about Thomas's collapse.

Thomas's face was as gray as ash as Dr. Mike pressed a cold compress to his head. "Thanks, Dr. Mike," Thomas said faintly.

Due to overexerting himself Thomas's pneumonia had relapsed and Dr. Merar and Dr. Mike prescribed bed rest again. At this moment Thomas felt so tired that all he wanted to do was fall asleep.

Thomas had a quilt on him, but that didn't stop Audra from putting an extra one by his feet like she had done before. "Thanks, Mother. I love you," Thomas said, giving his mother a brief grin.

Audra touched his warm forehead gently with her soft hand. Audra turned to her husband, anger evident in her blue eyes.

"Tom, how could you yell at him like that? All he was doing was showing mercy to his enemy," Audra hissed.

"Mama, don't," Thomas said, his voice nearly giving out.

Audra looked down at her son. "You haven't called me that since you were five," Audra said surprised.

"I know. I just don't want you to think I've forgotten that name," Thomas said. Swallowing deeply the sore ache in his throat.

Thomas coughed into his hand, unable to speak for a few minutes.

"Father, I'm sorry. I should have told you about the chore," Thomas said, his voice barely audible.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gotten angry. You were right, my son. You are not only Modoc. You are also white. Some of the rules don't apply to you and Ellen," Tom said, sitting in the chair across from Thomas's bed.

"How long did it take you to figure out that I am right, Father?" Thomas's faint voice teased his father.

Audra and Tom started to laugh at Thomas's teasing tone. "Uncle Jarrod, who's going to defend Graywolf?" Thomas asked when the mirth subsided.

"I don't know, Thomas. The way the town feels the judge may pick his lawyer for him. While the town thinks you are just an Indian, they are not going to try Graywolf for kidnapping you. They are just going to try him for being an Indian," Jarrod said, sitting down on the window seat in Thomas's room.

"That's not right. Tell them...It's not...right...Uncle Jarrod," Thomas said, falling asleep.

All the grownups looked at each other. The boy was right and all of them knew that. The only problem was to see that Graywolf was tried fairly.

A few weeks later Thomas sat in his room reading Ben-Hur. The relapse of his illness had nearly caused him to miss the court case against Graywolf.

Tom had had to carry his son into the courtroom so Thomas could testify. The pneumonia had weakened the boy and Dr. Mike and Dr. Merar had both said that it would be awhile before he would be his old self.

Thomas had just finished his book when the door opened. Tom entered with a tray of food.

"Are you hungry?" Tom asked, putting the tray on Thomas's night table.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Thomas said, a faint smile on his face.

"Well, that's a good sign. It proves that your strength is coming back," Tom said, picking up the plate and sticking the fork inside the mashed potatoes.

"Father, you don't have to spoon-feed me. I can feed myself," Thomas said, taking the plate from him. Thomas's voice sounded slightly strained at Tom's trying to baby him.

Tom shook his head and smiled a rueful smile. "I don't understand you or Ellen sometimes. You say I don't care and when I do you hate me for it," Tom said.

"I don't hate you. This is hard to say to a father. Especially since it's my father," Thomas said, muttering the last sentence under his breath.

"Why don't you just tell me? I'll decide if it's hard for me to hear," Tom said, his voice not sounding as strict as it normally did.

"Ya see, when I was small I wanted a father figure who cared and you were never there. That's why I always looked up to Uncle Jarrod or Sully. I want your love because you're my father, but I don't want to be treated like a three-year-old either. I am fifteen. I'm old enough to make some decisions on my own," Thomas said, hoping that the look on Tom's face wasn't an angry look.

"I just thought that if I raised you like all the Modoc boys that I was doing the right thing," Tom said, cupping the side of his son's neck with his large hand.

"That's the problem, Father. I am Modoc, but I am also white. I have to live in both worlds. Some of the rules-such as killing a man for kidnapping-are not going to apply to me," Thomas said, hearing his voice rise with each minute.

"I guess you're right about that. I guess I should have taken into consideration when I married your mother that my children would have to live in both cultures," Tom said, the rueful smile across his face again.

"Don't worry about it," Thomas said, picking up the fork and taking a miniscule bite of his potatoes.

"How about we make a compromise?" Tom asked his son after watching him eat for a few minutes.

"What compromise?" Thomas asked, remembering to swallow before talking.

"How about I send you to medical school and your sister to law school?" Tom asked.

"Sounds fair and I probably have to promise never to disobey you in front of the Modoc people again, right?" Thomas asked, sounding happy that Tom would let him be a doctor.

"How did you ever guess?" Tom asked, with fake sarcasm.

"I know you a little too well, Father," Thomas said dryly.

"How about I take you fishing when you get better?" Tom asked, taking the plate from his son and placing it on the tray a few minutes later.

"Sounds good. Can Uncle Heath, Uncle Nick, Uncle Jarrod, Sully, and Jack come with us?" Thomas said, picking up his book again.

"Of course they can. See you at dinner," Tom said, opening the door and walking out.

Thomas grinned as he watched his father leave. Graywolf was in prison and he and his father were not as angry with each other as they had been. He didn't know what would happen next to their family, but, he could say, today was a wonderful day.