Heath was taken a few miles away where a noose hanging from a tree branch was waiting for him. He saw an opportunity for escape when all men dismounted their horses leaving him alone in the saddle. He took the reins and spurred the horse. Harry pulled out his gun and fired at Heath, hitting him in the back. Heath fell down.

“That’s not part of the bargain, Barkley.” Harry said menacingly, yanking him to his feet.

They readied Heath for the hanging.

“Any last word?”

“Yes. Go to hell!” Heath gasped out, on the verge of collapsing from the intense pain coming from his back wound.

“You got it backwards. It’s you who’s going to hell.”

Harry slapped the horse on the romp and it scurried away. The rope tightened around Heath’s neck. Soon, he lost consciousness.

Seconds later, gunfire was heard, breaking the rope and sending Heath crashing to the ground.

“Nobody moves.” Nick warned, gun drawn.

He was backed up by Jarrod, the sheriff and two deputies. Audra who was riding with Nick jumped down the horse and dashed to Heath’s aid.

“Now, throw down your weapons, gently.”

Jarrod and the two deputies slid down their mounts and went to pick up the guns on the ground.

“You men are in deep now. You’ll all be charged for murder.”

Audra cradled Heath in her arms, sobbing. Jarrod approached them and groped Heath’s neck searching for a pulse.

His face lit up with relief. “He’s alive!”

“What?” Nick quickly dismounted Coco and hurried to them. He felt Heath’s pulse.

“My God, he is. Let’s get him to a doctor, quick!”

“Nick, careful. Look at his back. He’s been shot.”

Nick turned to Harry Mulligan and with rage in his eyes, pounced on him. It took three men to break him loose of his grip.

“Take it easy,” ordered the sheriff.

Heath gradually regained consciousness in Audra’s arms. He focused on his sister glowing smile.

“Audra, you’re all right?” Heath asked feebly.

She tittered. “Of course. And you’re going to be all right too.”

“Nick, you realize if we’d arrived a ...”

“I don’t want to think about it, Jarrod. He’s alive that’s the main thing.”

“I’ll get your brother if it’s the last thing I do,” Harry vociferated to Nick.

“It’ll be over my dead body and believe me, that’s going to be mighty hard task to accomplish. Go on, Sheriff, take that scum out of my sight before I make mince meat out of him.”

While everyone was occupied, Audra noticed that Heath had passed out in her arms. She didn’t feel him moving. She tugged at his shoulders but there was no movement on his part. She began to panic.

“Jarrod, there’s something wrong.”

Jarrod and Nick went to her. Jarrod searched for his brother’s pulse. He looked up at Nick. “My God, Nick.”

“No, no, no, noooooooo!” Nick bawled, shaking Heath as hard as he could to revive him.

A wave a relief washed over their faces when the young Barkley began to gag and cough. His throat was constricted and could hardly breathe.

Nick took him by the shoulders and raised him into a more comfortable sitting position. Heath’s coughing stopped but his breathing was loud and rapid.

The Sheriff suggested to take him to the doctor in Hallowville but after the town turned on Heath, Nick wouldn’t hear of it. Jarrod explained that they didn’t have much of a choice since their brother was in a bad shape. Nick mounted Coco and helped Jarrod and the Sheriff get Heath in the saddle with him.

The doctor walked out of the examining room. Jarrod, Nick and Audra jumped to their feet.

“How is he, doctor?” a very distressed Audra asked.

“The bullet in his lower back is causing an infection.”

“Can’t you remove it?” Nick asked.

“I’ve probed the area and found that it was lodged too deep. I can’t risk it with the instruments I have in my disposal here. We need to get him to a hospital, one that specializes in spinal injuries.”

“Spinal injuries?”

“Yes. “

“Doctor Alberts, a colleague of mine, has a practice in San Francisco and works at the hospital there. I could wire him and ask him to expect you.”

“San Francisco? That’s not across the street. Do you figure my brother will survive this long trip?”

“I don’t know. But if I try anything, I’ll kill him.”

“We’ll have to chance it, Nick.”

“Jarrod. Think about it, San Francisco? The endless train ride?”

“We’ll make him as comfortable as possible in our private car.”

Nick started pacing back and forth, hoping to find a simpler solution but he came up empty. Heath was in dire need of sophisticated medical attention and there wasn’t a moment to spare.

Audra and Jarrod stayed in Hallowville while Nick rode back to Stockton to tell Victoria.

Heath was awake when they carried him aboard the train. Victoria had agreed to let Audra accompany her on the trip since she felt responsible for Heath’s sorry plight and wanted to be near him.

Nick and Jarrod settled Heath on a soft couch in the Barkley private car. Audra made sure he was covered from head to toe.

“Thanks, sis,” a feeble Heath murmured.

“You have to keep warm. We are taking you where there are the best doctors in the country.”

“What about you? Are you okay?”

“My side’s still tender but the doctor said it was healing well.”

“That’s good news.”

Victoria leaned over her son.

“Are you comfortable?”

He nodded. Heath had been suffering in silence ever since he regained consciousness an hour earlier. He was struggling to move his legs but they were numbed. He feared he was paralysed but didn’t want to say anything.

“Hey Brother Heath, you hang in there, kid,” Nick said, tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

“I’ll try.”

Nick turned to Victoria. “I don’t like the looks of him, Mother. Dr. Merar should have made the trip with you.”

“Don’t worry, he told me what to do. Besides I hear there’s a doctor traveling with us.”

“Oh good.” Nick heaved a sigh of relief.

“Relax, Nick. Your brother is strong and healthy. He will pull through.”

“I can’t help but get the feeling there’s something else.”

“Like what?”

Nick went to Heath and bent forward.

“Heath.”

“Don’t wake him up,” Audra upbraided.

Heath slowly opened his eyes.

“Heath. Is there something you’re not telling us?”

Heath merely stared at Nick and the older brother knew something was wrong.

“What is it?”

“My legs. I can’t feel them.”

“I knew it. Why didn’t you tell us?”

“What can you do about it?”

“Nick, what is it?” Victoria asked.

“He’s paralysed.”

A week later, Heath’s condition improved. The swelling had subsided but he was still paralysed. The doctor couldn’t find an explanation other than a psychological problem.

“What do you mean, psychological?” Nick asked.

“By now your brother should be able to walk but he seems to think he can’t.”

“How come?”

“Don’t know. This isn’t my medical field. “

Audra stepped forward and with a quaver in her voice, asked, “What can we do to help him?”

“Take him home and encourage him to walk any way you can. He might be inclined to stay in his wheelchair and wallow in self pity, but don’t let him.”

“You can count on it, Doc,” Nick replied boldly, already plotting his scheme.

“Go easy on him, though. Approach him with an iron fist in a velvet glove, “ the doctor warned to the exuberant big brother.

“We will,” Victoria assured, tapping Nick on the back to calm his eagerness. “When can we take him home?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

All three fashioned broad smiles of relief. The doctor shook hands with Nick and Victoria and walked away, leaving the threesome to gather in a warm group hug.

Days passed and still Heath refused to leave his wheelchair, stating that his legs were still numbed and wouldn’t budge. Victoria had settled him out on the front porch where he could see the ranch hands at work in the field, hoping that would trigger a spark, rekindle a sense of responsibility within him. All attempts failed as Heath just sat in his chair in a semi-lethargic state.

Audra rode past on her horse and he didn’t even acknowledge her. She turned back and stopped her horse in front of Heath.

“Hey, feel like going riding with me?”

Heath nodded without so much of a glance at her. She dismounted and edged up to him.

“Are you trying to make me feel guilty for what happened?” she admonished with a sobbing voice. “ Because if you are, don’t bother. I’m already making myself sick over it.”

She slowly turned to her and said, “It wasn’t your fault, Audra.”

“No? It’s because of me that you got shot and nearly died hung by the neck.”

“Audra, don’t...”

“Don’t what?” she sniped at him. “It kills me to see you like this. If you would only...”

“Walk?” He glowered at her. “I can’t!” he snorted between clenched teeth.

“You won’t even try!”

She flung her arms in the air and mounted back her horse. “ See I care, quitter,” she lashed out at him, kicking her horse into a gallop.

Heath buried his hands in his face, hurt by his sister’s tongue-lashing.

Feeling repentant, Audra turned her horse around and returned to her afflicted brother. She hunched down by his side. “Heath, I’m sorry,” she cried. “I didn’t mean to...”

Before she could finish her sentence, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close. “I’m sorry too.”

She buried her face in his shoulder. “I want so desperately for you to get better.”

“I know.” he said, sniffing back his tears. He inhaled deeply and with the aid of his hands, tried to lift himself up. “Let’s give it a try.”

Audra stood by him, holding out her hands in case he needed assistance.

Heath’s arms trembled under the weight of having to raise his lower body. His legs were like rock. He commanded all of his strength to move them but they wouldn’t respond. He sank back into his chair, panting. “I can’t, “ he breathed out, bowing his head.

Audra patted him on the back. “At least you tried.”

Nick was standing a few feet away and had seen the entire show. “Not nearly enough,” he rebuked.

“Leave him alone,” Audra scolded.

“Oh, like we’ve been doing for the past two weeks? I’m getting the feeling little brother, here, has no intention of walking again.”

“What?”

“Look at him! Not having to get up early in the morning to go work in the fields; getting waited on hand and foot. He’s got it made, why change that?” Nick described with a cynicism in his tone that prompted Audra to pounce on him like a hawk.

He grabbed both her hands before she could scratch his eyes out. “Am I right, Heath?”

Heath didn’t dignify the question with an answer, turning away from Nick.

“Don’t do this to him, Nick.”

“Audra, get inside. “

“What are you going to do?”

“Just get!”

Audra reluctantly went back into the house. Nick pulled out a chair and sat next to Heath and stared at him, arms crossed and impatiently stamping his foot.

“Whatever tactic you have in mind, it won’t work, Nick.”

Nick leaned back and looked upwards. “Okay. I’ll wait.”

“Don’t you have work to do?” Heath asked tetchily.

“Yes, but who cares! This is better, soaking up the sun all day long. It’s paradise,” he mused, crossing his hands behind his head.

A long silence ensued.

“I tried, Nick,”

“Of course you did. One try every 5 days or so, you must be exhausted,” Nick retorted sarcastically.

Nick noticed Audra’s horse wandering about loose.

Nick stood from his chair. “I told that girl a hundred times to tether her horse.”

Nick started for the stairs when a pebble made him lose balance and he fell, thwacking his head on a rock. He laid on the ground, unconscious and bleeding.

Heath panicked. “Nick! Nick, answer me!”

Heath called out for Victoria or Audra to come help, but neither one heard his cry. He looked out the field but couldn’t see anyone there.

‘Nick!” Heath continued to coax. He hoisted himself out of his wheelchair and crawled out to his bleeding brother. He shook him. “Nick!”

Nick regained consciousness for a brief moment. “Get help,” he whispered feebly to Heath.

“I will. Just hang on.”

Heath started crawling back to the front porch.

“Go on, hurry!” Nick urged before he passed out.

His muscles aching from the sudden strain, Heath tried to stand on his feet. It required several attempts before he felt his legs steady enough to stagger inside the house and warn his mother.

Victoria and Audra rushed outside to tend to Nick.

“Audra, go fetch Dr. Merar, quick!”

“Yes, Mother”

Audra swung on her horse’s back and scurried away.

Heath was leaning against the door, holding on to the knob with both hands. “Mother, how is he?”

“He’s bleeding too much. Heath hand me your bandana.”

Heath reached inside his pants pocket and took out the bandana. He dragged his feet a few steps toward Victoria and gave it to her.

“What happened?” she inquired.

“He just fell and hit his head on the rock.”

In all the commotion, Victoria hadn’t realized that Heath was standing. Suddenly, it dawned on her. “Heath...son, you’re standing up.”

“I am, aren’t I?” He chortled. “Leave it to Nick to scare the daylights out of me.”

At night, Nick was in his bed, a bandage on his head. Heath was sitting next to him, waiting for him to wake up.

Nick blinked open his eyes and focused on Heath, smiling at him.

“Heath?”

“Yeah. How’s the head?”

Nick slowly raised his hand to his forehead. “Don’t ask.”

“Doctor Merar said you should be up in a few days.”

“Speaking of up, did my eyes deceive me back there?”

Heath stood from his chair. “No, they didn’t.”

Nick cracked a faint smile. “ How’bout that! I’m proud of you, little brother.”

“I have you to thank.”

“Anytime.”

“Don’t try that stupid stunt again, though.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Heath Barkley. We do what we can to hammer some sense into that thick skull of yours.”

“I am a pain in the neck, aren’t I?”

“I’m glad you said it first.” Nick reached out to Heath’s hand and shook it. “Glad to have you back to your old self, little one.”