Nick's Saga

Parts 3-5

by nlindabrit

Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program "Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.

Part 3 -- More Mexican Adventures

Nick Barkley alighted from the train at it's last stop in the small village three hamlets away from Santa Alva and hired a buggy to convey him the rest of the way to the Del Rio estancia. He was joyously pleased with himself, the purchase of the cattle had gone well in San Francisco and he had already turned them over to Carlos and his men, who would over-see their grazing for a few days before it was necessary to head them out for San Cristobel. He had every confidence that he could meet Don Miguel's deadlines for fulfilling his contract to the Mexican Army and he was aching to see his Dominica again. He had already made up his mind that before he headed home to the Barkley ranch he was going to marry Dominica so that he could take her with him. He grinned into the distance as he drove to the estancia, imagining the surprised faces of his folks when he displayed his beautiful young bride to them.

Only one thing worried Nick, just a little, he wondered how much it might hurt Heath to have to meet a lovely high-born Mexican girl as a sister-in-law. Heath Barkley had loved and ultimately lost Maria Montero another aristocratic girl of Spanish descent. Nick didn't want to hurt his brother by re-awakening his pain, but he reasoned that the lively Dominica would win his quiet sibling over, even if the sight of her did give him another pang or two over Maria.

There she was! She must have been watching for him and now she rode at her usual break-neck speed to greet him. Nick pulled up the buggy and madcap that she was, Dominica threw herself from her horse and landed in his lap, laughing and hugging him and kissing him dizzy. "You crazy brat! One of these days you're going to kill yourself with your rough-riding tricks," admonished Nick.

Dominica's only answer was to kiss him again and he soon lost interest in scolding her. They drove back to the estancia, with Dominica's horse tied on behind and both blinked as they drove into the normally quiet courtyard, for it was now a bustle of activity.

Don Miguel was just in the act of mounting painfully into the saddle, but when he saw Nick and his daughter, he stood holding his reins and waiting for them. Dominica came to him at the run, "Papa! You are not supposed to be out of doors, let alone riding, where are you going?"

Don Miguel patted her cheek, "I have been requested to mount a search my child, apparently a whole wagon train of Mormon settlers has disappeared somewhere between here and Cohualho. The authorities have arrested the rogue who was meant to guide them, it seems clear he has stolen what money they had and abandoned them to their fate!"

Nick smiled at his future father-in-law, "very well Sir, let me lead the men and Carlos can go with me, you need to rest Don Miguel."

"Nicholas, how can I ask such a thing of you? You have only just returned, you must be longing for my daughter's company also."

Nick could not deny this, but he was gently insistent that he be allowed to take the Don's place and Dominica too was vehemently opposed to her father's endangering his health by going himself.

Carlos came up and agreed that he and Nick would undertake the search, "por favor Patrone, there is time before we need drive the cattle to San Cristobel."

"Very well, Sighed Don Miguel and truth to tell he knew he was too weak to go and was glad to return to the cool shade of his living room.

Nick swiftly changed his clothes and snatched a few minutes to eat something and also to say a reluctant and prolonged farewell to his bride-to-be. She thanked him fervently for taking her father's place and raised brown eyes swimming with tears to his face, "I worry about him so much Nick, do...do you think that...he will get well again?"

Nick held her gently but answered her honestly, "no Darling, I don't believe that he will get well, but at least now there is nothing to worry him because I'll take care of you and him and the estancia, everything."

Dominica pulled away from his tender embrace to look searchingly at him, "will you Nick? But you have your own ranch, you love it, I know you do! When..when we are married you will want to take me there too won't you?"

He stroked her cheek and smoothed back her silky hair from her face, "I promise you Honey," he said in his gentlest voice, "that I won't part you from your father under any circumstances, I swear it Dominica."

She was still troubled, "but that isn't fair Nick, how can I ask you to give up your own life to please me, what kind of wife would I be if I did such a thing, what kind of love is that?"

Carlos appeared in the doorway, "forgive me but we must leave very soon Nick."

Nick nodded and Carlos went tactfully away again. Nick produced a handkerchief and dried his fiancée's tears, "now I forbid you to worry about all of this Love, everything will work out all right, you see if it doesn't." He kissed her tear-stained face and said again, "I forbid you to worry, now you will obey me in that won't you Dominica?" His hazel eyes, warm with love, teased her gently.

She responded, smiling valiantly, "but of course! When we are married I shall always obey you like a good wife! Do you believe me Nick?"

He caught her in a crushing embrace and said, "no Love, I most certainly don't believe you!"

Carlos had detailed a number of his most reliable men to remain behind and guard the estancia from any attack by the renegade Jai and his gang. Nick was satisfied that his fiancée would be safe during his absence and threw himself into the search party with his customary energy. He and Carlos led two separate groups of searchers and they stayed at their task for four days, almost without pause. The weather was blisteringly hot, despite it's being so late in the year and on the last night they made camp, Carlos gave it as his opinion that if the lost settlers were short of water, as it was feared, then they would have perished by now.

Nick agreed with Castillo's assessment but nevertheless they all spent a fifth day in searching, without result after which the men agreed that their duty was done and they should return to the estancia. Don Miguel was found to be worse and Carlos rode himself to fetch the Doctor from Cohualho. This physician didn't mince his words, taking Dominica's hand and gently telling her, "the end is near now Child, all I can do is to ease his passing, I am sorry."

Carlos murmured to Nick, "I will ride to the mission and bring Adrienne back, Dominica will need her."

Nick agreed, whispering, "better bring the priest too Carlos."

Nick was alone in the big living room when the party from the mission rode in, Dominica was sitting with her father and Carlos immediately conducted the priest, Father Jose up to the dying man's room. A young girl, tall and well figured, entered the living room. She had long straight dark brown hair which she wore loose, a feathery fringe covered her brow and she had the biggest and most soulful brown eyes Nick had ever seen. She stopped dead when she saw Nick stammering, "pardon monsieur, I did not know that you were here."

He smiled welcomingly and came forward holding out his hand, "forgive me for startling you, I'm Nick Barkley and I can tell you are Adrienne by your resemblance to your pretty little daughter."

It was a gallant speech and Nick was quite pleased with himself, he generally left the fancy talk to the likes of Jarred but he thought he had put the girl nicely at her ease. Evidently she didn't think so however, for at the mention of little Melissa, the tentative smile of welcome faded from her face and she said in a low mortified tone, "yes, Missy is very like me. I apologize for disturbing you Mr. Barkley, I...understand if...if you would prefer not to make my acquaintance."

Nick remembered talking to his fiancée about her companion. Don Miguel had rescued the girl after she and her friend Susannah had been abandoned by Susannah's father and Dominica and Adrienne had become close almost at once, like sisters. So the Don had taken the half-French girl into the family and treated her with a father's kindness. The older girl Susannah, who was English, and a young man they had met on their travels called Brooke Sanders who was a softly spoken Virginian teacher, had been found employment at the Mission and the Don had treated these two destitute young people with generosity too.

Nick also knew the rest of Adrienne's history, how the renegade Jai had abducted her and stolen her innocence, resulting in the birth of Melissa when Adrienne was not quite sixteen. Dominica had told Nick, her eyes flashing with anger, that many people had shunned the unfortunate girl because of her refusal to give up her baby and so Nick understood her reticence now. Smiling at her understandingly he came forward and held out his hand, "I'm very happy to meet you Mademoiselle, little Missy and I have become good friends and I hope you and I can do the same."

The grave-faced girl read the sincerity in his face and smiled tremulously, "you...know my history Monsieur?"

"Yes I do."

"Bien, I am indeed most happy to meet you, I...I understand that you and Dominica are to be married, is it not so?"

"Nick nodded, "it is so and I hope you understand that your position will not be altered by Dominica's marriage."

It was touching to see the spark of hope in the sweet serious little face, "no? I was...not sure what might happen, I...I would understand if you sent...sent us away."

Nick gently took the girl's hand and raised it to his lips kissing it lightly, "as far as I am concerned Miss Adrienne, nothing will change, I intend to do my best to protect you and your child, you can count on that."

Her hand trembled in his, "merci Mr. Barkley, that...may not be an easy task!"

But looking up into his capable handsome face, which she had thought stern in repose but now saw transformed by his wonderful smile, she was aware of a strange sensation. For the first time since the terrifying Jai had darkened her existence, Adrienne felt safe. This man had a powerful presence, a solid reality that bred confidence in one who had been frightened almost out of her wits for a long time. Adrienne didn't know quite what it was about Nick, perhaps his tall strong figure or that reassuringly deep masculine voice of his, but she believed him when he told her she could count on him, she smiled trustingly up at him, repeating her words, "thank you Mr. Barkley."

"I'll make a deal with you Young Lady, I'll call you Adrienne and you call me Nick, will you?"

He thought her shy blush was adorable, "bien...Nick, if you wish it, then I will do so."

He was still holding her hand in his gentle comforting clasp when Dominica joined them, tenderly embracing her friend, "bueno! Already you are friends, I knew you would like each other, tell me Adri, haven't I chosen a fine husband?"

Adri smiled, "indeed you have Cherie!"

Later when the two girls were alone, Adri hesitantly told Dominica what Nick had said about not parting the two girls from each other. Dominica smiled, tears starting to her eyes, "he says I am not to be parted from Papa either, oh Adri, I love him so much, he is the best of men my Nicholas!"

The priest was introduced to Nick by Carlos Castillo and Father Jose spoke plainly to the rancher. "Don Miguel is agitated about his daughter's future, he places his trust in you to take care of Dominica but he worries about the merits of the marriage I think."

Nick was equally direct, "is it because I'm not of the Catholic faith Father?"

The old priest smiled, "no I don't believe that weighs much with Don Miguel, it doesn't weigh with me either, if you are a good man and a religious one as he assures me you are!"

Nick grimaced, "I don't know that you'd call me religious Father, but I try to live a decent life and I do take my mother to church on Sundays when I can."

Father Jose smiled, "I shall be pleased and honoured to marry you to Senorita Del Rio Senor Barkley."

A sudden thought occurred to Nick, "Father, I came here in answer to a summons from Don Miguel, he needed my help. Do you think he feels he has...I don't know...somehow led me into offering Dominica marriage?"

The wise old eyes gave Nick his answer even before the priest spoke, "I think that is the case, I take it you do not feel...er...entrapped in any way?"

Nick spoke with simple sincerity, "Father I think I'm the luckiest man on God's green earth!"

"Bueno, my Son, perhaps you will say so the unfortunate man upstairs and ease his mind?"

Nick was successful in convincing Don Miguel that he was only too happy with his choice of wife and it was Nick himself who made a certain suggestion to the dying man. An idea which brought a spark of life to the sick man's eyes and to which he eagerly agreed.

When requested to perform an immediate marriage ceremony in Don Miguel's sick-room, Father Jose blinked slightly but readily assented, provided Dominica were willing. The bride was inclined to be wrathful, not because she desired a special gown or a dozen attendants but because she too feared that Nick was being pressured into making her his wife. His method of convincing her that this was not the case left her too breathless to speak and she raised no further objections to being married the following morning in her father's presence.

That night, when she parted from Nick at her bedroom door, Dominica raised her willful little face to his and blushing at her own boldness, she shyly offered to let him accompany her into her room. He was not shocked, as he knew that she sincerely loved him and was offering him her virtue out of love not because she was wanton. He responded with calm gentleness, kissing her most tenderly and assuring her that he was content to wait for her to be his bride.

The next morning, Father Jose performed a simple ceremony beside the bed of the ailing Don Miguel. Carlos acted as Nick's best man and Adrienne was Dominica's bridal attendant. The only other witnesses were The young English girl Susannah Charles and her sweetheart, the young teacher Brooke Sanders. Don Miguel's attorney Felipe Garcia was also there. He had already spoken with his client and had been given comprehensive instructions to be enacted upon Don Miguel's death. It was a strange little wedding perhaps but everyone in attendance agreed that no bride and groom had ever looked happier or made their vows in more eager tones and a few minutes after it had begun, Dominica Del Rio was pronounced to be the wife of Nicholas Jonathan Barkley and the groom bent to kiss his bride.

Don Miguel was able to shed tears of grateful joy that his troubles and the threat of poverty to his beloved daughter were banished for good. When he was alone with his new son-in-law he attempted to thank Nick and was told kindly but firmly to desist. He grasped the rancher's hand, "I owe you so much Nicholas, but when you talk to Senor Garcia, he will tell you what I have done."

He was so weak by now that Nick forbore to question him and the next day, the Patrone of the Del Rio estancia slipped peacefully into death, whilst his daughter held his hand.

Senor Garcia attended upon Nick shortly after the Don's funeral and the news he imparted to Nick astounded the rancher, it seemed that Don Miguel, who knew his daughter's fiery temperament, even though he loved her dearly, had left his only child without a peso to her name!

Nick frowned in bewildered anger, "I don't understand this Senor Garcia, Don Miguel loved his daughter, are you telling me he left her destitute, why?"

"She is a fire-eater Senor Barkley, she has an ungovernable temper at times, her father knew her nature, he wished to ensure that she does nothing to jeopardize her union with you."

Nick was annoyed and said so! "If I didn't think I could keep my wife's affection by my own efforts Senor, I doubt I would have married her in the first place!"

Felipe Garcia smiled at the wrathful young rancher, "try not to resent this Senor, my old friend had his reasons as you will learn."

Nick asked the all important question "well who did the Don leave the estancia to?"

Garcia smiled, "why to you Senor Barkley, you are now the Patrone of the Del Rio estancia."

To say that his inheritance made Nick uncomfortable was a gross understatement, he was at first incredulous and then deeply displeased. Dominica, when apprised of the situation took a light- hearted view, "what does it matter Querido Mio? I will never wish to leave you so I have no need of my inheritance, it is right and proper that it is yours!"

She would not hear of his transferring it to her and at length he concurred with her wish that he should keep it. He did however talk to Carlos Castillo, who also took a philosophical view of the matter. Nick asked his new friend frankly, whether he felt aggrieved that the estancia was not left to him and Carlos surprised him with his reply.

"There is one thing about me that as yet you do not know Nick. I am a gambler," the Mexican grinned, "not a very good one. Patrone knows...knew that if this place was mine I would surely lose it!"

Nick looked closely at Carlos, "and if I wanted you to take charge of it, run things here for me?"

Castillo grinned at him, "I would do so Patrone, I would never gamble with what is yours."

Nick believed him, though he blinked slightly at being addressed as Patrone. He was obliged to get used to this! Everywhere he went, either on the estancia or in the village of Santa Alva people seldom called him anything but Patrone.

Several times over the next few days Nick felt a pang or two of guilt about his family at home in California. He was uncomfortably aware of the length of time he had been away from his home and the fact that he had not made the slightest attempt to send them any message to relieve their concerns about him. Heath would be having the very devil of a time coping with the massive round-up and as sanguine a woman as Victoria Barkley was, she would be at least a little bit worried about him by now. He didn't think about Jarrod at all, he was still smarting over the Soreback meadow sale and since he was in blissful ignorance over his eldest brother's state of mind, he was not to know that Jarrod was beginning to fear that his harsh words had led to Nick's departure.

He had good intentions of making contact with them all at home, and soon too! He more than once started a letter to his mother, but so much had happened to him and in so short a space of time that it all got kind of complicated whenever he endeavoured to write it down. A telegram might have been easier but how could he tell them he was married in a wire? The upshot was that as each action filled day succeeded another, he kept putting off the day when he would finally get around to contacting the Barkley ranch.

There was much to do, the cattle were ready to be driven to the Army depot at San Cristobel and there were the Don's tangled legal and financial affairs to be ironed out as well. Nick tackled every task he faced with energy and zeal. His happiness and contentment in his marriage spilled over into everything he did, nothing daunted or dismayed him, he had never before in his life faced the future with such confidence.

Neither did the estancia drop it's guard, everyone was aware that an attack from Jai and his raiders was an ever-present threat and Castillo explained to his new boss the very detailed arrangements he had in place to counter any such attack.

Nick frowned at the map, which Carlos had spread before him, "your lookouts seem to be a long way into bandit territory, are you sure they'll be safe, so far from here?"

Carlos nodded and a small smile of pride lit his eyes, "oh yes Patrone, these three boys are the best trackers we have and they can move invisibly in the heart of Jai's stronghold! Besides, we need them there, the sooner we know of any attack, the better our chances."

Nick was aware of Castillo's pride in his men, "who are these three, have I met them yet?"

"Not yet Patrone, Raoul, Ramon and Tomas have been doing my spying for me and I have no yet introduced them to you."

Nick had been in charge of men for many years now, including his Army days and all the time since his father's death, running the Barkley ranch. He knew damn well that Carlos was enjoying some sort of private joke and that there was something special about the three young men, out on their lonely patrol. "Let's have it Carlos, what else do I need to know about these three?"

"They are all called Castillo, they are my brothers," answered the Mexican with simple pride.

Nick understood the Mexican's pride in the three young men now, "you have three brothers too? so do I, one older, two younger."

Carlos smiled, "these three are all much younger than me, I raised them after the death of our parents."

Nick approved the measures Carlos had organized and thanked him warmly for his diligence in taking care of the estate and all it's inhabitants. It would only become clear to Nick in the coming days just how much he owed to the vigilance of the whole Castillo family!

Jai's raiders struck on the very day that Nick was to leave with the cattle for San Cristobel. The raiders hit the estancia in the hour before dawn and the herd, already gathered, ready for the drive, was the bandits first and easiest target. The pasture was some way from the main house and as the raiders struck it became apparent that there were no men guarding the precious animals. Exultantly, Jai ordered his men to destroy the herd and an orgy of senseless slaughter began as the bandits rode down the terrified and penned creatures shooting them with ease. Before Jai finally signaled to his men to end the attack, every one of the beasts Nick had brought from San Francisco had been killed.

Nick and Dominica were roused from sleep by the noise of shouting in the courtyard below their bedroom window and Nick sprang out of bed, crossing to the window to glance briefly down at the hub of activity below. Almost in the same instant there came a knock on the door and Luis entered, "pardon me Patrone but Senor Castillo says to come immediately. Nick nodded curtly, "tell him I'm coming," he began to dress hurriedly, smiling at his wife, "try not to worry, stay in the house, keep everyone together, understand Querida?"

"Si, I will do as you say, only...be careful Nicholas...I beg of you!"

When Nick emerged from the big front door, Carlos came to him at once accompanied by a tall youngster aged about eighteen, the foreman didn't mince his words, "Jai will attack in about an hour." He indicated his companion, "Raoul says they are coming in from the West, we have to decide where we try to stop them, before they reach the herd, or before they reach the house."

Nick nodded his comprehension, so, this was Raoul Castillo, one of Carlos's three brothers, Nick was amazed at how young he was. Carlos himself was a few years older than Nick, this boy was young enough to be the son of the estancia foreman.

The boy looked at Nick and bowed respectfully, "if you will permit me Patrone, Jai has many men, you cannot protect the herd and the house, you must choose!"

Nick shot a look at Carlos, who nodded, "I agree with my brother, it is one or the other but not both."

It was an easy decision for Nick to make, "pull all the men off the herd, beef up our defences here, we have to protect the women!"

Carlos nodded, "si Patrone, it shall be done." He turned to his brother, "Ramon and Tomas?"

Raoul grinned, they are preparing a few surprises for Jai, I will join them and bring them in when I have warned the village and the outlying estancia workers."

"Bueno, go then and be careful Hermano!" Carlos hugged the boy and Raoul sped off to where his horse waited and vaulting into the saddle, he spurred away into the darkness.

Nick watched the boy go and glanced at the face of his foreman, which was rigid with worry.

"He's a fine boy Carlos," Nick said gently, "I take it Raoul is your youngest brother?"

Carlos shook his head, "no Patrone, Raoul is eighteen, Ramon is sixteen and little Tomas is thirteen, I told you they are much younger than me."

Nick was horrified to think that the dangerous job of shadowing the bandits had been in the hands of such young boys but this was no time for a debate on that or any other subject so he made no further comment as he and Castillo raced to organize the estancia defences against the coming invasion.

Jai had once been a member of the Yacqui tribe, but it was a dozen years now since he had been expelled and made outcast. He was diminutive, perhaps only five feet seven and of slim build, his thin face had high cheek bones and his eyes were the colour of clay, dull and curiously expressionless. He was a twisted creature, usually impassive, thought by many to be incapable of normal human feelings. He could torture or kill without a qualm and was feared by the people of this region, the way only something inexplicable can be feared. Only one thing had ever been known to cause visible emotion in Jai and that was his obsessive desire for Adrienne Derval.

He had first seen her when she came to live at the Del Rio estancia, a shy half-French child, graceful and sweet, he had been working on the estate as a casual hand, and had quite simply seen her, walking in the garden with her new friend Senorita Dominica. He had been aware of a new sensation, an overwhelming one, of what, he was not sure. Love perhaps, desire certainly, he only knew that she was his, meant to be his, destined to be his! He thought about her all the time, her large gentle brown eyes, her glossy cascade of dark brown hair, her ripe figure and that shy smile that tormented his dreams as well as his conscious thoughts.

He had tried to court her in the correct manner, calling on Don Miguel and formally asking permission to pay his addresses to Adrienne. Don Miguel had called him scum and caused him to be thrown off the estate, whereupon Jai had abandoned his attempt to behave like a normal man and had reverted to his customary savagery. A wave of terror against the estancia had ensued, barns were burned down, cattle stampeded, crops poisoned in the fields and water-holes polluted. This activity all culminating in the midnight abduction of Don Miguel's young protégé. Jai had known he would not be able to win free and clear with her, Don Miguel had many men and would strive to free the child, also he would invoke the power of the authorities to punish the lawless young renegade. Jai's hope was that once he carried Adrienne off, she would come to realize the depth of his love for her and perhaps accept his passionate devotion.

Adrienne, terrified as she was, had nevertheless resisted Jai to the utmost, demonstrating all too clearly her loathing for the man who had stolen her away from the safety of her refuge with the Del Rios. When he perceived the reality of her revulsion, Jai reacted true to his nature and took what would never be freely given to him. A few days after Jai stole fourteen year old Adrienne Derval's innocence, Don Miguel and his men rescued her and took her back to the Del Rio estancia. The Don pleased his daughter by legally assuming the guardianship of her young friend and he assured Adrienne that she would always have a home in his household. A promise he kept, even when it was discovered that she was with child.

When Adrienne gave birth, at the tender age of fifteen, to her daughter Melissa, many people advised her to give up her child, allow the babe to be taken into the Mission orphanage so that she could put her ugly past behind her. This Adrienne flatly refused to do. From the first, she was utterly devoted to her baby and absolutely rejected the idea of parting with her. It was a decision which was to cost her dearly, people who had willingly entertained her in their homes as the young protégé of a respected land-owner, now shunned her because of her refusal to repudiate her child. It did not appear to matter that Adrienne's situation was not of her own making, the stupid and the prudish condemned her anyway. But Adrienne was made of sterner stuff than these people realized, the snubs and slights she suffered undoubtedly hurt her very deeply, but she never wavered in her determination to do what she thought right and she maintained her devoted commitment to her little daughter.

Jai had attacked the estancia several times in the last two years, never posing a serious threat to Adrienne herself, Don Miguel kept her too well guarded for that. But the renegade's spite found expression in the trail of havoc and destruction he wreaked upon the estate and the present dilapidated state of things was at least partly due to his activities. On this occasion he had but one objective, to destroy the herd destined for the Mexican Army, thus bringing about the economic ruin of the Del Rio estancia. In recent days Jai had learned of the death of his enemy, so he intended also to try once again to snatch away the girl who still obsessed him, reasoning that, with Don Miguel gone, the renegades had a better chance of success. Sitting his horse beside the bloody cattle pens, containing nothing but dead cattle now, Jai was well satisfied with his raid thus far. Summoning his scattered men to him, he ordered them to re-form and soon a determined horde of bandits was riding with deadly swiftness across the meadows towards the Del Rio house and Adrienne Derval.

Carlos was impressed with his new master's efficiency in deploying the men around the big house and courtyard, it was plain to him that Nick Barkley had been a military man at one time, probably during the Civil War and Carlos agreed to the disposition of the men and tensely waited with Nick, for the assault on the house and out-buildings to commence.

"What rank did you achieve in the Army Patrone?"

Nick glanced sideways at him, grinning, "well I finished the war a captain but I doubt I would have risen higher than lieutenant if it had been peace-time."

Carlos was not so sure, this was a man who understood the nature of fighting, and it showed. He said as much to Nick but the rancher just laughed and said, "well I've had plenty of practice!"

Jai and his gang were clear of the pastures now and began to pound down the beaten path to the gates of the estancia, at the gallop. At once pandemonium ensued, most riders being thrown from their horses, including Jai, the horses screaming with pain and terror. The youthful Castillo brothers had done their work well, the long path was heavily scattered with spiky metal caltrops and even the most sure-footed of horses could not keep their balance. Sharp-shooters were deployed among the bushes lining the path and they did deadly work, killing many of Jai's men as they struggled to their feet, abandoning their wounded mounts to their fate and taking to their heels.

Jai himself, an expert horseman, had managed to re-mount and he rallied those of his riders who remained, for a last desperate assault on the courtyard. As his men galloped into the courtyard, a wall of determined gunfire greeted them and swiftly assessing their situation as untenable, Jai signaled his men to retreat through the woods beside the lacy iron gates. As swiftly as the attack had commenced, it was over and the men of the estancia, whooped and yelled, tossing hats into the air and clapping each other on the back, delirious with delight at their victory.

Raoul Castillo and his younger brother Ramon, rode into the courtyard and dismounting, came at once to report to their elder brother who stood with Nick beside the big front door of the elegant house. Carlos frowned and spoke urgently, "where is your brother, where is Tomas?"

Raoul hung his head, "he...went to the other side of the woods, to...harass the bandits retreat," he shot a swift resentful look at the wrathful Carlos, "I told him not to!"

Carlos turned to Nick "with your permission Patrone, I must find the little devil before he gets himself killed!"

Nick readily agreed and the foreman strode away, curtly ordering his two younger brothers to follow him.

As soon as he was sure that all was safe, Nick left his men to begin the task of gathering the bodies of the dead for burial, there were one or two wounded bandits who would be tended but closely guarded also until they could be handed over to the authorities for trial. Incredibly, not one of the estancia defenders had been killed and the only injuries were superficial ones. As he entered the big house and ran lightly up the stairs to check on his wife, Nick reflected that they had been very lucky, that is, he thought wryly, if you don't count the wholesale slaughter of the herd!

Dominica came to him as he entered their bedroom, sobbing with relief as he scooped her up and held her close. Her arms were tight around him and he could feel her tears on his neck. He set her on her feet and tilted up her lovely face, "now then Lady mine, that'll be enough of that," he said tenderly and kissed away her tears.

"Mi Querido Mio," she murmured, her deep brown eyes raised adoringly to his strong, handsome face.

Nick shot a swift look around the room, "where's Adrienne?"

Dominica took his hand, "come with me Nicholas," she said quietly and led him through the connecting door into her dressing room. Nick followed her and stopped on the threshold, gazing with eyes warm with pity at the sight that met his eyes.

Adrienne was on the floor, crouched like a frightened animal, in the corner farthest from the door, her small daughter clasped in her arms. She was white and trembling so hard, her teeth were chattering in her head, as if she was freezing cold. Her breathing came in shallow ragged gasps and she was quite plainly paralyzed with fright.

"It is always like this when there is an attack," Dominica told Nick sadly, "she only has to know that Jai is anywhere near her and she becomes so terrified that one cannot reason with her."

Nick gently moved his wife aside and approached the distraught girl, crouching down to talk to her and speaking with all the gentleness at his command, "it's all over now Adri, Jai has been driven off and he won't be back in a hurry, take it easy Honey, you and Missy are safe here at home with us."

At first she seemed not to hear him, but the deep and re-assuring tone of his voice finally penetrated her frozen terror and as he repeated that it was all over, she drew in a shaky breath and managed to speak through trembling lips, "I...I...I'm s...sorry N...Nick."

Nick stood up and reaching down he gently drew Adrienne to her feet, putting a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder and stroking little Missy's hair with the other, "I want you to listen to me Adrienne, I intend to do everything that is necessary to protect you and Missy, I will never allow that man to come near you again, you can count on it Honey." His voice was strong but kind and she knew with utter certainty that she could indeed trust this man, as she had trusted her kindly guardian Don Miguel.

Smiling through her tears Adri said in a much steadier tone, "I believe you Nick and I thank you, for me and for my daughter."

Nick kissed her cheek and Missy's forehead and turned again to Dominica, "look after them Princess, I have to see if Carlos has found Tomas yet."

Carlos was just riding back into the courtyard as Nick re-emerged from the house, and at once came to his boss, "Adrienne? I should have warned you...it is always bad for her, is she all right now?"

"She will be, did you find Tomas?"

Carlos nodded grimly, "si, I found him! Come here little brat!"

A slender boy, looking a lot younger than his thirteen years came hesitantly down from his pony and as slowly as he dared moved to stand beside his wrathful mentor.

"Apologize to Patrone," ordered Carlos sternly.

Shyly, the boy murmured an apology, bowing respectfully to Nick as he did so. Nick tried to deflect the foreman's wrath, "well now Carlos, I guess you and I got carried away a time or two when we were this young man's age, now didn't we?"

Carlos fingered the riding crop in his hand, "when I am done with him, he will need to be carried away!"

Tomas flushed scarlet and miserably awaited his fate.

"Go indoors and wait!"

He obeyed Carlos at once.

Nick tried to reason with Carlos, "I don't mean to interfere in your family Carlos, but I sure think you might give that boy a break!"

Carlos smiled, "very well Patrone but my little brothers know I will not tolerate disobedience, just this once I will spare the rod, but believe me it has not been easy for me raising them alone!"

Nick was curious, "have you never thought of marrying? Seems to me you could use a wife's help."

Carlos's handsome face split in a wolfish grin, "another of the things you do not yet know of me Patrone...next to gambling, women are my...favourite passion, how boring to be tied to just one!"

Nick burst out laughing and gave up trying to meddle in his foreman's life.

He watched as Carlos walked away and turned to find another of Carlos's brothers at his elbow, it was eighteen year old Raoul. The boy smiled, "don't believe him Patrone, it is true he likes women but he has always loved one woman, it is a secret he keeps in his heart.

"Why a secret Raoul?"

"Because the woman he loves, is far out of his reach and besides, she has never loved him, except as a friend."

"Perhaps she'll learn to love him."

No, she is married to another man now."

"Oh, who?"

Raoul's brown eyes met his master's, "she is married to you Patrone."

The boy turned away and Nick's thoughtful eyes followed his retreating figure.

If Nick felt any surprise at what Raoul Castillo had just told him, it passed quickly. He had seen the warm light in Carlos's eyes when they rested on Dominica and the Mexican always talked to her with tender gentleness. Undoubtedly Carlos knew that his master Don Miguel would disapprove of a marriage between his daughter and the estancia foreman. Nick thought it likely that Carlos had never even broached the matter to his aristocratic employer, or to Dominica herself. Yet, Nick felt sure that his wife knew what Carlos felt towards her, she would the little minx! The saucy Mexican beauty was not above flirting with poor Carlos, well Nick intended to keep a close eye on his willful and naughty little bride, so he thought that should effectively stop her from wounding the estancia foreman's feelings too deeply.

Carlos and Tomas emerged from the house beside the courtyard where Carlos lived with his three younger brothers. Carlos went to the bunk-house to check on his wounded men and young Tomas ran over to Nick, "oh Patrone gracias! Carlos didn't beat me, he says you saved me, gracias Patrone!"

Nick laughed and ruffled the boy's hair, "you remind me of me at your age Tomas, you better tow the line for a while until you're back in Carlos's good books."

The youngster's eyes sparkled, "I knew he would be furious with me, but I got a shot at Jai himself! I think I winged him a little."

"Good for you Boy," said Nick heartily.

Ramon joined them, frowning reprovingly at his younger sibling, "You better keep your voice down little braggart! If Carlos hears you boasting, he will beat you after all!"

Tomas made a face at Ramon and ran away laughing, the studious looking sixteen year old turned to Nick sighing, "do you have younger brothers Patrone?"

"Yep, two of ‘em!"

"Are they a pest and a plague to you?"

"Sometimes Ramon," laughed Nick. He looked at the slight figure of Tomas climbing into the corral to talk to his beloved pony, "tell me Ramon, do you think Tomas really did shoot Jai?"

Ramon grimaced, "maybe...maybe not."

Nick thought back to his brief glimpse of the bandit, "was Jai the little runt in the red shirt?"

Ramon nodded, "yes Patrone but don't let Jai's small stature mislead you, he is a very dangerous man!"

Very late that evening, Nick and Carlos Castillo sat either side of Don Miguel's big study desk and reviewed the situation in which the estancia now found itself. Carlos summed up gloomily, "with the slaughter of the herd there is now no chance of the Mexican Army contract being fulfilled and the financial penalty will force you to sell the estancia. I see no other way Patrone."

A deep frown carved a groove between Nick's eyes, "I'll be damned if I give in that tamely Carlos! I'm going to ride to San Cristobel tomorrow and see if I can't negotiate an extension to the contract, that would give me a chance to buy more cattle in San Francisco."

Carlos was startled, "and the expense Patrone"

Nick looked into the foreman's eyes, "I do not intend to let this estate go to ruin Carlos, there are too many people depending on the Del Rio family to provide their livelihoods, I owe it to my father-in-law to save this place and I aim to do it."

Carlos smiled, "if anyone can, I think you can Patrone."

Nick sighed with exasperation, "I thought we had a deal, you agreed to call me Nick at least in private!"

"So I did, sorry Nick."

Carlos was curious, "does it still feel strange, everyone calling you Patrone?"

"A little," admitted Nick, "but I'm getting used to it fast."

Castillo's enigmatic eyes rested on his boss, "does that mean you are beginning to like it?"

Nick understood him, "you mean am I planning on settling here, instead of going back to my ranch in California?"

Carlos nodded, "the matter is of the utmost interest to us all here Nick, I'm sure you can understand that."

The rancher nodded his agreement, "yes of course I do and I wish I could give you a straight answer, truth is I've hardly had a chance to catch my breath these last weeks, let alone make any big decisions. Let's get this matter of the contract settled and then I'll try to decide what to do. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough Patrone...Nick."

Neither man could know that the Mexican Army was about to come to them, rather than the other way around and that yet more permanent changes to Nick's way of life were about to ensue.

Part 4 -- Rescue and Redemption

(Before Nick can set about saving the Del Rio estancia, he has to rescue some of the most wretched human beings on earth, little dreaming that he will become a parent in the process!)

The day after the raid by Jai and his bandits, Nick and Carlos over-saw the disposal of the dead cattle and after a hard morning's work, they returned to the house for a late lunch. The two men had just finished eating when Dominica came into the dining room, "Nick there is a Major Remedios in the living room, he has come from the Army garrison at San Cristobel, he wishes to see you."

Nick and Carlos exchanged glances, each wondering what this unexpected visit might mean to the Del Rio estancia.

"Carlos I want you with me."

"Certainly Nick, if you wish it."

Major Antonio Remedios was a small, dapper officer, much younger than Nick had expected and he bowed courteously to Nick and Carlos before holding out his hand, "Senor Barkley, I am pleased to meet you, I am the envoy of my commanding officer, Colonel Enrique Ruiz, he sends his greetings and I am charged with an important message for you."

Nick shook hands, immediately liking the quietly spoken and polite young officer, "You've taken us by surprise Major, I was planning to come to San Cristobel to tell you that my herd has been wiped out, but perhaps you already know about the attack by Jai's renegades?"

"Indeed we do know Senor and I am instructed to tell you that the Army has been given orders to drive this bandit out of this region completely. Also, if you wish a contract extension, I am authorized to grant it."

Carlos and Nick exchanged startled glances and Nick turned again to Remedios, "did I hear you right Major? The army will give me time to make good on the contract?"

The young officer inclined his head, "that is correct Senor, you should know that your father-in-law was a highly respected man in this region, that is why the extension is offered and it is also why we intend to deal with Jai and his gang."

Major Remedios stayed to dinner and Nick derived some amusement from watching his mischievous wife flirt outrageously with the dazzled young officer. Carlos watched her too, a small sardonic smile playing about his mouth, he was familiar with Dominica's urge to enslave every man she ever met. After their meal the three men went outside to sit on the terrace and smoke a peaceful cigar and Antonio Remedios raised another subject with his hosts. "Colonel Ruiz has asked me to request a favour from you Senor Barkley."

Nick smiled, "I thought we decided that you were Antonio and I was Nick?"

Antonio returned the smile, "so we did, I beg your pardon Nick."

"What can I do for Colonel Ruiz?"

The young officer's face clouded over, "tell me gentlemen, have either of you heard of a...sort of travelling show calling itself the Circus of Human Despair?"

Both Carlos and Nick shook their heads. "Damn funny name for a show," commented Nick, "what kind of a circus is it?"

Antonio visibly shuddered at the memory of it, "it is well-named Nick, it is a kind of freak show, I saw such sights when it was in San Cristobel that the memory of the place has haunted me ever since!"

Carlos frowned, "I remember that grandiose name, was the show ever in this region before, it is in my mind that Don Miguel once mentioned it to me?"

Antonio nodded, "yes, it has passed this way more than once, my Colonel wants the poor creatures in it rescued from the evil woman who runs it, her name is Zelda and though I know little about her, they say she is a monster!"

Nick was puzzled, "but I don't follow this, surely she doesn't keep the...performers as prisoners?"

Antonio looked gravely at him, "not all of them, but some she certainly does keep captive and all are mistreated by Zelda and her henchmen. Especially the children, I am told."

"Children?" Nick's horrified question echoed in the quiet room. All his life, Nick Barkley had loved children, he was good with them too, he had taught many of the children in and around the Barkley ranch to ride and was a great favourite with them all.

Remedios answered quietly, "yes Nick, there are some children with this show, one in particular Zelda treats no better than an animal. Colonel Ruiz has heard that the circus is headed toward Santa Alva and he has to take his men away from here to hunt down Jai's renegades. He asks if the Del Rio estancia will take the responsibility to break up this terrible show and offer help to the poor wretches within Zelda's power."

Nick's frown was black and when he answered his voice was quiet but deeply determined, "Antonio you can tell Colonel Ruiz from me that he can safely leave me and my men to deal with this woman Zelda. And you can tell him to rest assured that no child will be left in that so-called circus, not one!"

"Gracias Senor, we for our part will drive Jai far away and if the luck is with us, perhaps we will capture him too. When you have dealt with the circus, will you be going to San Francisco for another herd?"

"I will and if that arm continues to improve Carlos I don't see why you can't come too, the estancia should be safe from Jai while the might of the Mexican army is hard on his heels!"

"Gracias Nick, I should like to go with you."

Major Remedios left the estancia the next morning, reverently kissing Dominica's hand and holding onto it rather longer than civility dictated, the naughty girl quizzed her husband with her sparkling eyes but he had no intention of rising to the bait and returned her saucy look with a bland smile. Remedios pledged himself to send word when the dreadful circus of human suffering might be expected in Santa Alva and Nick reiterated his promise to deal suitably with the fiendish Zelda and her henchmen.

When they had waved the gallant young major off Nick caught Dominica to him playfully and said with mock ferocity, "now what do you deserve for flirting with that poor boy?"

"Nicholas! I did not flirt with him!"

"Oh yes you did Lady Fair, now how shall I take revenge on you?"

She grinned fearlessly into his warm hazel eyes, "take me riding...por favor husband, I could ride Royale, I shall too, the minute your back is turned, so you might as well let me ride her now!"

All the laughter vanished from Nick's face and he gripped her none too gently by the shoulders, "now listen to me Dominica, a little fun is one thing, but Royale is still not properly schooled and you cannot ride her until she is, comprende Querida?"

Her stormy little face pouted and she seemed about to defy him but there was a seriousness about Nick that affected her and abruptly she changed her mind, "si, I understand Nick, don't be cross with me any more."

His frown vanished and he bent to kiss her, "now how could I stay mad at anyone as pretty as you, come on, we'll have that ride."

They received word about the freak circus the very next morning, not from the Mexican Army but from the disgusted townspeople of Santa Alva itself. It seemed that the Circus of Human Despair had slipped away from the watchful eyes of Colonel Ruiz and had made its own way here, confident that the Army were headed in the opposite direction, in pursuit of Jai and his men. As soon as the people of the little town and more importantly the redoubtable Mother Felicia at the Mission realized what a horror had come amongst them, a delegation was sent to the estancia to appeal for the immediate intervention of their Patrone.

Nick and Carlos had just ridden in from their daily inspection of the estate and neither left the saddle as the news was given to them. The two men looked at each other and a swift glance of agreement passed between them, they would immediately inspect this abomination for themselves, then they would decide how to act. As one, the two friends turned their horses and rode for the so-called circus's location. When they reached it, they could see a straggling line of wagons, tents and cages in a clearing on the edge of the estancia lands, there was a makeshift gate across the entrance. Without hesitation Nick and Carlos kicked aside this flimsy barrier and rode into the ‘circus', later Nick would recall this moment with a shudder and he would ever afterward both think of it and refer to it as riding through the gateway into hell itself!

The arrival of two determined riders caused a stir in the down at heel camp and many of the so-called performers emerged from the various wagons and tents to stare curiously at the men on horseback. In the next few minutes both Nick and Carlos saw sights that made them sick to their stomachs, for it seemed that any and every cruel accident of nature was somehow represented in this awful place. They saw a man nine feet tall and another only eighteen inches high, a man with three legs, a woman with three arms, every kind of deformity and grotesque travesty of the human condition was on display here. Nick stared in mingled horror and pity at a young woman who stood on two normal legs and whose lower body was likewise normal. Her upper torso however divided into two distinct sets of shoulders and there were two heads! One a functioning speaking entity, the other sightless and dumb, a horrifying burden to the healthy part of the woman. She was barely covered and in swift compassion Nick stripped off his leather jacket and proffered it to her. She smiled, she had a sweet smile, he noted, "gracias Senor but She will only take it from me, keep it yourself."

Nick put his jacket back on but came out of the saddle dragging the blanket from his bedroll and placing it gently around the shivering girl. "I'm coming back here," he told her quietly, not wishing to scare her, "and when I do, She will never hurt you again little one, I swear it!"

The poor creature sadly shook her head, "do not trouble yourself Senor, there is no hope for anyone here, this show is Hell on Earth and all within it are doomed."

Looking around him at the sea of pathetic humanity, Nick felt that Hell on Earth was an apt description.

He was still standing beside the stricken two-headed being holding Coco's reins in one hand when he heard a sharp intake of breath from the girl and she moved rapidly away from him, he could almost smell her fear and turned to see what had provoked it. A small group of people was approaching, a diminutive woman and three burly, capable looking men. The woman was barely five feet tall and her face was heavily lined, but her dark eyes were bright and alert, Nick found it hard to judge her age, she could be anything between thirty five and sixty. She had a tangle of long dyed black hair and was dressed in riding pants and a black jacket of some fine fabric, now faded and well-worn. The man immediately behind her was a broad shouldered bald-headed specimen, a thug if ever Nick had seen one. Two other stony-faced men stood behind the bald man, it was plain that the tiny woman was in charge.

Her English was heavily accented and from the sloping bones of her face Nick concluded that she was an Eastern European, though from what country, he couldn't tell.

"She fairly spat her hostile words at Nick, "you! What you want, we no open until I say! You and this other, you go, clear out."

Nick walked right up to her and she had to crane her head to look into his face, "this is my land and it is you who must go, you are not welcome in this area."

One of her men took a threatening step towards Nick who looked into this man's eyes. The man read Nick's strength of purpose in his resolute expression and fell back. Zelda, glared at her hesitant bodyguard, "Bastard," she screamed at him, "cowardly scum!"

Nick turned away from her stream of invective and re-mounted Coco, "I will be back soon, then you will go." He spoke quietly but those who knew Nick Barkley best could have told Zelda that he was at his most dangerous when he was quiet, not when he rampaged around shouting the odds. She tried to argue but Nick wasn't listening, he wheeled Coco about and headed for the gate at the canter, Carlos followed him closely. Both men felt that they could breathe more freely when they were clear of the dreadful camp, the very air tasted sweeter to them. They accomplished the ride back to the estancia in silence, each wrestling with their private nightmares as they came to terms with the horrors they had seen.

Dominica could sense that they had witnessed terrible sights, she couldn't persuade either her husband or Carlos to take any lunch and since she was by now familiar with Nick's tremendous appetite, she drew her own conclusions about why he felt unable to face food. Nick gave brisk orders and as a consequence, less than two hours later, he was able to set out again for the grotesque camp, Carlos faithfully beside him and a dozen of the estancia's best men, armed and watchful, accompanied their Patrone. All of the men who rode with him had noticed the grim frown of their boss and the fact that he was carrying a substantial whip.

This time, the ramshackle gate had been shored up and chained against them but it was to no avail, Nick Barkley, in the vanguard of his men, kicked it aside with ease and rode through the gate like Nemesis. He was dressed in black and his tall figure looked strong and powerful on his big cutting horse, the whip completed the image, it would be a foolhardy spirit that chose to get in this man's way. A few of Zelda's men were rash enough to try and drag Nick from his horse and he rode amongst them wielding the whip with deadly accuracy, swiftly they fell back out of his range and Nick rode swiftly to the centre of the bedraggled little camp and curtly ordered his men to round up the inhabitants.

They all came, some slowly and fearfully, others more swiftly, eager to see this man with the stentorian voice and the handsome face. Eager to see what manner of man it was that was unafraid of Zelda. For, in this hellish place, all were afraid of Zelda. Nick sat his horse, looking at the sea of pathetic faces gathered before him and raising his powerful voice he addressed the assembled show-folk. "My name is Nick Barkley, I am the husband of Dominica Del Rio, she is the daughter of Don Miguel, who left to me the land on which you are standing. This is my domain and I am Patrone here. No-one else has any say in anything here only me, only Patrone."

He pointed the butt of his whip at the sneering Zelda who stood a little apart from her people, surrounded by her men. "This woman has incurred the displeasure of the Mexican Army and her presence in this region will not be tolerated, she has to leave and if you wish to stay with her, so do all of you. But," he paused, his eyes sweeping the mass of people, "you do not have to go with Zelda. Any...," again he paused, this time awkwardly, "any...person who wishes to leave this...this so-called circus can do so. Help of whatever kind you need will be given, you can count on that!"

Zelda screamed defiance and abuse at him and Nick turned to Carlos, "shut that evil witch up!"

Carlos signaled and two of his men seized Zelda and quieted her. Her men began to draw guns but stopped as the noise from a dozen aimed rifles crackled in the air. Circumspectly, they released their weapons and stood away from the hissing Zelda, none of the bullies who were used to terrorising those weaker than themselves liked the odds this afternoon.

There was a ripple of excited comment throughout the assembled show-folk and in the eyes of some there burned a flame of hope, for Nick Barkley was a convincing speaker and his deep ringing tones inspired trust. Not all felt this way though and it was the young girl with the two heads who was brave enough to call out to the kindly man who had given her a blanket and spoken so gently to her, "you do not understand Senor...Patrone, for the likes of us, there is nowhere else to go, who would take us...who would take me?"

Nick signaled to Carlos and he in his turn signaled to the gate and at once a large wagon rolled into the arena, in it were a number of the Holy Sisters from the Mission. Nick had not wanted them inside the camp itself until he was assured that he could guarantee their safety, now he was sure of that, his men were firmly in control of the situation.

Nick turned to the deformed girl again, "what is your name Child?"

"I am called Katya Senor."

"Katya, these nuns are from our local mission and they will offer you save haven within their walls."

There was a lifetime of snubs, slights, broken promises and shattered hopes in her response, "for how long Patrone? For how long would they let me stay before they sent me out into the world again. Me, I do not like the world, it is every bit as cruel as this circus, sometimes even worse."

Nick would have answered her but one of the nuns, Sister Marguerite, a wise old woman did it for him, walking up to Katya and taking the girl's hand, holding it tenderly between her own, "you can stay with us for the rest of your days if you wish it Katya, I promise you that you will be safe from all harm in our Mission. Will you come with me now?"

Sister Marguerite had a calm, gentle tone of voice and she spoke with simple sincerity. For a long moment Katya looked into the older woman's compassionate eyes, reading the truth in them and then she smiled, "yes Sister, I wish to come with you."

Zelda struggled free from the estancia men who held her arms and screamed at Katya, "go then! If you think life anywhere else but here with me holds anything for a monster such as you then go!" She swept the assembled performers with a scathing glance, "all of you can go to the devil for all I care! In one hour my men and I will ride away, those who wish to stay with the circus, be ready to leave then, the rest of you can go to Hell!" She strode away from the gathering and some of the people reluctantly followed her, but they were in the minority. Most of the show-folk who had heard Nick's offer of help were ready and eager to accept it and for the next half hour Nick, Carlos and their men had their hands full, assisting the people who wished to leave into the big Mission wagon and other wagons they had brought from the estancia.

Eventually, everyone who wanted to leave was loaded into the transport and Nick gave the order for the wagons to leave the camp. He turned to Carlos, "I want you to stay here with me and keep a few of our men too! I want to be sure that everyone leaving with Zelda actually wants to go."

Nick and Carlos left their horses with one of their men and walked the length of the camp speaking to one or two of the performers as they packed their meagre belongings and loaded up their gaudily painted wagons. As they reached the far end of the camp where Zelda's own wagon was being loaded, the two men had satisfied themselves that all of the pathetic inhabitants who wished to be rescued had now left the camp under the protection of the estancia.

It was Carlos who drew Nick's attention to the last remaining trailer, which had a curious kind of structure on it, part cage, part shack. "Nick, we have not examined that peculiar cage thing over there, shall we investigate it?"

Before either man could do so, Zelda jerked her head in the direction of the cage and spoke to her bald-headed lieutenant, "fetch the Little Wolf, you can leave the rest!"

Nick frowned in puzzlement, so far he had seen no sign of any animal in this nightmare place, all the ‘exhibits' had been human, hence the name of the so-called show. He moved swiftly to stand between the trailer and the bald thug, "nobody except me is going inside this thing, stay back all of you or my men will shoot you down like the vermin you are!"

Safe in the knowledge that Carlos and his men were watching his back, Nick climbed onto the trailer and unlocked the door of the makeshift structure. He went inside and came face to face with the tallest black man he had ever seen in his life. The giant stood at least seven feet tall and was powerfully built too. Nick was tensed for an attack but an urgent voice spoke from the gloom, "do not hurt him! I beg you Sir, Jim has the mind of a small child and he will not hurt you, I beg you to be merciful."

The speaker was an aged man, very thin and gaunt, he was lying sprawled in the dirty straw on the floor of the shack, Nick thought he looked very ill, probably too weak to rise without assistance. He turned to the door and called to Carlos, "Get some light in here and get these tarpaulins off this thing!"

With a certain pathetic dignity the old man courteously inclined his head and said, "allow me to introduce myself, I am Professor Andre Rakovsky," he might have been welcoming an honoured guest to a social gathering. He indicated the looming presence of the black giant, "this is Jim, he and these children are my only friends in this hell-hole."

With the heavy tarpaulins stripped away and a lantern to guide him, Nick was able to encourage the gentle giant Jim to lift Rakovsky and carry him to the open back of the trailer. The black man laid down his burden with incredible gentleness and smoothed the tangle of fluffy white hair off the old man's face. The gloom within had been lightened a little now and Nick could see that a little child, a fair-headed girl lay among the straw, the rancher's mouth tightened with anger as he noted that the little girl's legs were deformed, clearly she was severely crippled and like the old man, she was skeletally thin. Before Nick could make a move to help the crippled child his attention was caught by a muffled noise from the far corner of the trailer, it seemed there was one more occupant of the cage. Raising his lantern high, Nick took a step towards the sound, only to stop dead in his tracks as the light from his lantern illuminated Zelda's "Little Wolf."

At first Nick couldn't believe his eyes, chained in the corner was the figure of a boy, no more than nine or ten years of age. The boy was as thin as the little girl and dressed in ragged clothes, his feet were bare, he was filthy and shivering with cold. But it was not the state of the child's under-nourished body or his filthy state that held Nick motionless, transfixed with horror, it was the dull metal helmet that completely enclosed the boy's head, rendering him both sightless and speechless. Now Nick understood the nature of the strange noise he had heard, it was the only sound the boy could make, encased in iron as he was from the neck up. A grating around the nose enabled the poor child to breathe, otherwise he would undoubtedly have smothered alive.

Snapping out of his frozen trance, Nick strode to the masked figure and swiftly released the chain, failing to catch the boy, who darted away the instant he was freed. Inevitably the boy fell as he stumbled blindly to the edge of the trailer, crashing to the ground, temporarily stunned. Jerking himself out of his shock, Nick moved to the edge of the trailer and jumped down beside the boy. The Professor raised himself painfully on one elbow and watched anxiously. "Please Sir, get the mask off him as soon as you can, it has been on for days and he cannot eat, drink, hear or see, it is...monstrous."

Nick couldn't have put it better himself, monstrous was the word! No wonder Major Remedios had made particular mention of child-torture, this must have been the child that Antonio had been thinking of. Without further ado, Nick released the bolt which held the frightful mask locked in place. As he did so, the old man spoke again warningly, "have a care he will bite you!"

True to Rakovsky's word, as soon as the metal mask was off, the child blinking like an owl in the harsh sunlight, set on Nick, sinking his teeth into his rescuer's arm. Nick reacted as he would with any young child, he delivered three brisk spanks to the boy's rear and set him on his feet, a warning finger held up, "now that'll be enough of that, you are not to bite, understood?"

The boy backed off and seemingly from nowhere he produced a makeshift knife and faced Nick holding it defensively in front of him. Professor Rakovsky pointed to the whip still clutched in Nick's hand, "Marric fears that you are intending to whip him."

At once Nick laid the whip down on the ground, "no, no, that's not for you Son," he said gently and held out his hand, "give me the knife," he turned to the old man, "what was that you called him?"

"His name is Marric, spelled M A R R I C," answered the Professor. "He is not a bad child, but he has been twisted by the cruelty of his treatment here, I beg of you Sir to rescue him from that evil woman!" The aged eyes glared fiercely at the watching Zelda and the old man pointed an accusing finger at her, "she has made this poor boy into the "Little Wolf" she calls him, I beg you Sir, save him." Rakovsky's head drooped with exhaustion and he fell back onto the trailer, almost swooning with weakness.

Nick turned to the boy and found that he was being stared at, Marric was about nine or ten, he was painfully thin and his face was white with exhaustion, Nick thought he was probably suffering from lack of food and water, what had the old man said? The boy had been in that hellish mask for days! Nevertheless the boy continued to lock gazes with his rescuer, standing motionless, poised for whatever might come next. Nick liked what he saw, the boy had a pinched look but his face was handsome, he had fair hair and the greenest, strangest eyes Nick had ever seen. Nick thought that those eyes saw a great deal, he felt as though the boy could see into his mind, read his thoughts. They were magnificent eyes, but they were not the eyes of a child. There was a world of suffering in them, the boy had endured too much to have many of the illusions of childhood left.

Nick locked gazes with the boy, his hazel eyes warm and gentle, "Marric...I," Nick broke off glancing at the old man, "does he understand English?"

The ancient lips parted in a smug smile, "Marric's first language is English and he speaks three others, I taught him," came the proud reply.

Nick nodded curtly turning to the wary boy once more, "Marric my purpose in coming here today is to rescue anyone who wants to leave, you can come with me and never be ill-treated again! But first you have to give me that knife, understand me?"

For a moment Marric stayed motionless and then to the astonishment of the watching Zelda, and indeed every other person who knew him, the boy handed over his home-made weapon to the tall stranger dressed in black.

Zelda laughed, it was an evil and ugly sound, filled with cruelty and spite, "you will not leave me Little Wolf! You are my creature, I created you, without me, there is no you!"

The boy listened to her, his eerily penetrative green eyes watching her closely. She glared at him holding his gaze with her own glittering hate-filled black eyes. Her words were chilling, "if you try to go with him, I will kill your sister and the Professor and Jim, hear me Little Wolf? I will kill them slowly!"

With a cry of savage rage the boy launched himself at Zelda and at once one of her men floored him with a brutal punch. Carlos stepped in front of Marric and his own fist crashed against the jaw of Marric's attacker. The estancia men's guns were brought to bear again and the brief violence was over as swiftly as it had begun.

Nick helped Marric to his feet and stood beside the boy facing Zelda, nobody had noticed that Nick had picked up his whip again. The rancher faced down the wizened witch-like woman, speaking with deadly quietness, "you will kill no-one! I want you and your crew off my land and out of this area, now git!"

She stood her ground, she had summed him up as a decent man, too decent to offer violence to a female and she smiled contemptuously, "I do not choose to go Senor and I do not think that you will make me!"

With a dexterous flick of the wrist. Nick sent the long lash of his whip snaking towards Zelda. It landed with a hissing crack, and the lash curled around her legs, sweeping her off her feet. She was taken totally by surprise and screamed with mingled fright and pain. Nick spoke with icy quietness, "if you and the rest of this scum aren't out of my sight in the next two minutes I'll personally flog you off my land, do you hear me Woman?"

Her hate-filled dark eyes locked with Nick's and she read his determination clearly. She allowed her men to help her to her feet and nodded reluctantly, "very well, we will go, I wish you joy of your new responsibilities! You will swiftly learn how hard a thing it is to look after these helpless wretches!" Her compelling gaze came to rest on Marric, who still stood beside Nick. She held out an imperious hand, "come Little Wolf, remember what I have always taught you, you can trust no-one! There is no life for you except with me, so come now."

For a long moment the boy stared into her face and then he looked up into the strong determined face of the man beside him, sensing this, Nick glanced down at smiled at the boy. Marric looked again at Zelda and slipped his hand into Nick's. He shook his head and said hoarsely, "I will not come, I am staying with...," he thought back to the name he had heard some of the men use in the last few moments. "I am staying with...Patrone," he whispered.

Marric stood with Nick, his hand still held in the rancher's warm, comforting clasp and together they watched the cavalcade depart. Zelda screamed at them as the wagons pulled away, "you will learn Senor! That is not a boy, that is a little wolf!"

Marric looked up into Nick's face, "I...I'm not a wolf, I am a boy...aren't I Patrone?"

Nick slipped an arm around the boy's painfully thin shoulders and stooping down so that their faces were on a level he said gently, that's right Son, you are a boy." Nick thought fast, there was no possibility of this unfortunate child being able to be cared for at the Mission, or adopted by some kindly family. He was going to need a lot of help and a lot of healing if he was ever to recover from this dreadful period of his life. It seemed to Nick that his duty was plain, in fact it wasn't even a duty, for already there was a definite bond between the man and the boy. He smiled and said, "tell you what Marric, from now on, you be my boy huh?"

There was a painfully eager expression in that starved little face, "stay with you Patrone? For always?"

"For always Son."

The boy launched himself at Nick again, not to bite this time, but to cover Nick's face with kisses, his scrawny arms, tight around Nick's neck.

Nick lifted Marric in his arms, holding him close, responding to the outpouring of the boy's affection with his own kisses. In the coming months, perhaps years, this child was going to need all the physical affection Nick could lavish on him, and Nick made a silent vow to himself that Marric would get it.

Carlos and the men had wrapped the ailing Professor Rakovsky in blankets and he was in the back of a wagon now, cradled protectively by the child-like giant Jim, who was now also draped with warming blankets. Rakovsky spoke urgently to Carlos who nodded and came over to Nick with a canteen of water. He held the canteen out to Nick, "the old man says it is days since the boy drank Patrone, better give him a little of this."

Nick coaxed Marric into drinking some water but it wasn't easy, the child seemed to have forgotten how to drink. From the wagon Rakovsky weakly said, "he is so used to being parched and starved, he finds it hard to drink or eat sometimes, they both have hardly any appetite."

His use of the word they brought the little girl back into Nick's mind and he jerked his head towards the trailer, "fetch the little girl out Carlos."

Marric struggled free from Nick's arms and to the ground, running to the trailer, "no Patrone...she is hurt, I am the only one who can move her!"

Nick held out his hand, "come here Marric," the boy came to him at once and Nick held his hand comfortingly, "show me how to help her then."

They climbed into the gloomy interior of the trailer together and squatted beside the semi-conscious child. Nick's heart was wrung with pity for her, she was so thin and pale and the bones of her legs seemed cruelly misshapen. Marric explained to Nick how it was necessary to keep the little one's legs as straight and still as possible when moving her and he watched as Nick gently and carefully gathered up the child. Marric moved close to Nick, laying a trusting hand on the rancher's shoulder and Nick silently noted his protégé's growing confidence in their tentative relationship.

They brought the girl out of the filthy trailer and into the daylight. Nick wrapped her warmly against the sharpening wind and handed her to Carlos, who in turn handed her to his brother Raoul in the wagon. The wagon rumbled away towards the estancia, with a protective screen of estancia men, just in case Zelda's men came back to try anything. Marric anxiously watched the departure of the wagon until Nick smiled at him, ruffling his blond hair, "don't worry, you'll see her again in a little while, we're heading back home too." He swung himself up into Coco's saddle and reached down for Marric, settling the boy in front of him on the saddle. He wrapped a blanket around his protégé and together they rode out of the makeshift gate and into their new lives together as father and son.

Part 5 -- Guardian and Ward

(Jarrod Barkley plans to leave family troubles behind him and immerse himself in his work at his San Francisco office but finds instead that he has to deal with Eugene's atrocious behaviour.)

Jarrod Barkley was a highly successful attorney with offices in both his home town of Stockton and in San Francisco. He divided his time between the two offices and generally had more work offered to him than he could possibly handle. Despite his thriving practice, he usually made arrangements to be free for several weeks during the late summer and Fall, so as to be available to help his two rancher brothers during the busy round-up period.

Youngest brother Eugene had been at home for the college vacation too and the lawyer welcomed a chance to keep an eye on that young man! Gene had made a decidedly shaky start to his medical studies at Berkeley University, the whole of his first year had been peppered with instances of misbehaviour and complaints from the college authorities that he was at best inattentive to his studies and at worst extremely disruptive. Jarrod was not only Gene's eldest brother but also his legal guardian and he had been obliged to play the heavy father several times over the last few months, culminating, a few weeks ago in a painful scene between the two brothers when Gene had confessed to owing several thousand dollars in gambling debts.

When Gene first began to kick over the traces at College, Jarrod had taken a relaxed view of the boy's activities. Nick had been less tolerant and had forcefully told Jarrod he should crack the whip. Jarrod disagreed, he had himself been involved with some legendary college pranks and felt that a degree of high jinks were only to be expected. As time wore on though, Gene showed no signs of applying himself seriously to his studies and Jarrod was forced to deliver more than one stern lecture to his youngest sibling and ward. On his recent return to college, Gene had promised a radical improvement in both his behaviour and his work.

There was however a world of difference between college larks and heavy gambling and Jarrod had felt it necessary to try his best to curb Eugene's ruinous behaviour. He had of course paid the debts of honour but he had ordered the youngest Barkley brother to cease any form of gambling forthwith and had warned him very sternly that if he ran up any debts whatsoever that he couldn't meet from his generous allowance he would have to answer to his guardian! In the last six months Gene had given Jarrod a great deal of worry and it was this added strain that had made the lawyer less adept than usual in his dealings with his volatile younger brother Nick. Normally, Jarrod could read Nick, the brother closest to him in age, like a book and could worm whatever was on Nick's mind out of him. He had signally failed to do this over the Soreback meadow sale and his failure to do so was uppermost in his mind. Nick's absence from home had begun immediately after the quarrel with Jarrod over the sale and with every day that passed, Jarrod was becoming more and more convinced that he had driven Nick into leaving the ranch.

The Fall break, normally a welcome respite from his legal duties for Jarrod and a chance to spend more time with his family, was giving him far too much time to brood over his dealings with both Nick and Gene. Jarrod had been particularly looking forward to his leisure time because with the birth of baby son Jack, a whole new aspect of family life had opened up for him but now he took little pleasure in his vacation and indeed his mood was so testy that his wife Sarah decided to take action. She suggested to her husband that he should travel to his San Francisco office and clear up any outstanding work he had there. A backlog of work invariably built up during his break from his duties and Sarah felt that immersing himself in his work might take Jarrod's mind off the continuing absence of Nick.

At first, Jarrod did not receive the suggestion with any enthusiasm but when he had thought it over, he acknowledged that Sarah had a point. He was honest enough to admit that he had been unapproachable and irritable not only with his wife but also with his mother and brother and sister too. A period of quiet solitude staying at his San Francisco lodging and dealing with his legal affairs might be a welcome break from his uncomfortable thoughts about his quarrel with Nick. So he told Sarah, with a rueful gleam in his vivid blue eyes, that he approved of her plans and he took the train to San Francisco, bidding a tender farewell to his wife and baby at the Stockton train depot.

In deciding she should urge Jarrod to go to San Francisco, Sarah had reasoned that being at the ranch, seeing at first hand the difficulties which Nick's continued absence heaped on Heath, wasn't helping her husband one bit. The capable Heath was coping with his punishing work-load and Jarrod had done what he could to help him, but each new crisis that Heath had to deal with served to reinforce the lawyer in his belief that he was the cause of Nick's precipitate departure from his home. Sarah had feared she might be doing the hard-working Heath a disservice in persuading Jarrod to leave, but the rancher had been swift to assure her that he welcomed Jarrod's departure. Trying to convince Jarrod that he was not the reason behind Nick's mysterious departure for Mexico, was a distraction the busy Heath could well do without as he struggled to cope with both Nick's work and his own.

The journey to San Francisco began to have a beneficial effect on Jarrod almost as soon as he embarked upon it. Away from the ranch, he felt more relaxed and was able to review recent events with something like his usual analytical detachment. By the time he arrived in San Francisco, he was half-way convinced that the rest of the family were correct and that whatever Nick was up to, his continuing absence from home was not related to the bitter quarrel with Jarrod over Soreback meadow. It was a relief to the lawyer to feel so much more at peace within himself and going directly to his office, he attacked the formidable pile of paperwork on his desk with enthusiasm. Indeed so engrossed was he in his work that he was amazed to find, when he happened to glance at the clock on his mantelpiece, that it was past three in the morning.

Jarrod had not been sleeping well of late, but he thought longingly now of his comfortable bed in the spacious lodgings he rented just a few blocks from his office. Donning his hat and coat, Jarrod locked up the office and walked the short distance to his lodgings. He was looking forward to a few hours sleep, followed by a bath, shave and breakfast, before he resumed his paperwork once more. He reached his pied a terre just as the grey dawn was breaking over San Francisco and unlocking the front door went inside, closing it again behind him. He left his hat and coat in the hall and walked toward his sitting room, becoming aware as he did so that the room was occupied, the strip of light showing under the door and the noise coming from within the room both told him so.

Jarrod's heart leapt within him and he thought immediately of Nick. So this was where his dratted brother had got to! It had to be Nick, who else could possibly be using this place? Jarrod hesitated for a moment, he had parted from Nick on bad terms and he was weary to the bone now. The last thing he wanted was another scene, but this was a re-union which could not and should not be delayed. The misunderstanding between the two men needed to be put right as soon as possible. Yet still the lawyer hesitated, for there were the sounds of a number of voices, so clearly Nick was not alone. Jarrod was puzzled as to who else could be in the room at this hour but he resolved to delay no longer and turning the door handle he entered the brightly lit sitting room.

The scene which met Jarrod's gaze was something of a surprise to him but it was as nothing compared to the shock which his sudden entrance caused to the half dozen young men in the room. They were seated around the green baize card table and had evidently been playing poker. Judging by the pile of bills in the centre of the table, the stakes were pretty high and the litter of empty wine bottles and dirty glasses indicated that the game had been going on for many hours. The room was hot and the air was thick with cigar smoke. For a long moment, the unexpected nature of the scene before him held Jarrod motionless and silent, then his eyes swept the faces around the table, coming to rest on the dismayed countenance of his brother, not Nick, but his youngest brother and ward Eugene.

For several seconds the two brothers locked gazes, Gene's expression changing from dismay to sullen resentfulness, Jarrod's from surprise to furious anger, then the lawyer turned deliberately away from Gene to confront the rest of the young men in the room. Four of them he knew to be fellow students of Gene's, presumably, like Eugene, they were supposed to be at Berkeley, not playing poker in a different city! The other man was known to Jarrod too, he was a professional gambler, the sort of predator that specializes in befriending gullible and rich young men. His name was Grant Kirby and it was to him that Jarrod spoke first. "Get out of my apartment Kirby, your sort isn't welcome here!"

The man's reply was insolent, "I'm here as your brother's guest Counselor, I guess that gives me a right."

"Wrong," answered Jarrod flatly, his angry gaze flickered in Gene's direction then swung back to Kirby again. "My brother has no right here either!"

Kirby smiled patronizingly at Eugene and lounged out.

One of Gene's friends tried to make light of the tense situation, venturing a joking comment in Jarrod's direction. The remark died on his lips as he encountered a flash of the lawyer's vivid blue eyes that silenced him. A couple of the other boys began faltering apologies but Jarrod cut them all short without ceremony. The boys took the hint, effacing themselves with alacrity and all too soon for his liking Eugene found himself alone with his mentor.

Eugene glared resentfully at Jarrod, he knew he had once again let his guardian down, he had promised to study hard and instead he had yielded to the influence of his dissolute friends and joined the spree to the big bad city of San Francisco. They had all spent the last few days here, drinking, smoking and gambling, as well as enjoying some of the more exotic pastimes this colourful city had to offer. Gene knew he was firmly in the wrong, but he bitterly resented Jarrod's high-handed behaviour in throwing out his cronies and felt humiliated and small. He decided he would speak his mind but didn't get very far, "thanks a lot Jarrod! Did you have to belittle me in front of my friends like that?"

They were to be the last words he uttered for the next twenty minutes as the pent-up dam of Jarrod's wrath burst over him and the lawyer gave his ward the lecture of his life. Gene made a couple of feeble attempts to defend or justify himself but Jarrod was having none of it and the youngest Barkley relapsed into sulky silence as Jarrod's icy voice delivered a scathing condemnation of his youngest brother's character. Every word of it was true but Gene was in no mood to acknowledge this or to apologize for his conduct and when at last he was ordered to explain himself he stayed silent, just casting a look of raw hatred at the older brother he had hitherto loved and respected all his life.

Jarrod's angry eyes bored into the younger man, "nothing to say Eugene? Very well understand this, from now on I will be watching you like a hawk and if your conduct falls short of what I expect, I will take whatever steps I deem necessary to make you behave, is that clear Boy?"

"Crystal clear Counselor! Your way or no way right? You want to play dictator, go ahead! You already drove Nick away with your high-handedness, you want me to go too? Fine, consider it done!"

Without a backward glance Eugene stormed from the room and seconds later Jarrod heard the front door slam. The lawyer stood in the centre of the room, staring at the space where his youngest brother and ward had stood, hearing in his stunned mind the boy's furious words over and over again, "your way or no way, your way or no way," it was what Nick had said too. Jarrod passed a shaking hand across his brow, did I drive Nick away after all? Have I driven the boy away too? He sat down in the nearest chair and tried to calm the turmoil in his mind and in his heart.

Weary as he was Jarrod felt impelled to try and find his brother, there had been something deeply disturbing in the boy's looks and manner, his pale blue eyes had been feverishly bright and his face too had a hectic flush that was unnatural. The lawyer tried the train depot, the likely hotels and those of the boy's friends who lived nearby, but there was no trace of his ward. Tired and dispirited, Jarrod returned to his apartment and slept for a time, though his sleep was fitful at best.

Later in the day he refreshed himself with a bath and changed into fresh clothes before going to his office and instructing his secretary to send for the inquiry agent who did some of the investigative work on Jarrod's cases. He gave this man a description of Gene and asked him to lose no time in tracking the boy down. He tried to work but he was unable to concentrate, too upset by the scene with his ward and a prey once more to fears that he had indeed driven Nick away and now perhaps Gene as well.

When his agent reported back, he was apologetic but so far he had not been able to find any trace of the youngest Barkley brother, Jarrod quietly thanked the man for his efforts and requested him to keep on looking. He abandoned his work and went out of doors to get some fresh air and try to settle his jangled nerves.

In the street, Jarrod bumped into an old acquaintance, a fellow lawyer who knew the whole Barkley family well. The two men exchanged greetings and Tim Henderson wagged a finger in his friend's face, "you know Jarrod, you ought to teach that youngest brother of yours some manners! I met him earlier and he ignored me when I said hello! Honestly kids today!"

Jarrod's heart leapt and he grasped his friend's arm urgently, "Eugene? You've seen him today? Where and when please Tim?"

Realizing that his friend was in earnest, Henderson made haste to answer, "of all places Jarrod, I spotted him down at the stockyards, I was on business and he was just...well wandering about really. I spoke to him and he heard me but he cut me dead. Jarrod, to tell you the truth I didn't like the look of him, I should have done something, he seemed...rather ill."

Jarrod shook hands with Henderson, "much obliged Tim, forgive me but I have to find the boy!" He hurried away towards the stockyards, wondering what in the world Gene could be doing in such a place.

Arriving at the San Francisco stockyards, Jarrod commenced a systematic search but despite scouring the whole area he failed to find any trace of Eugene. With growing agitation, Jarrod made enquiries at the administrative offices but nothing was known of any employee called Barkley so it didn't look as if Gene had tried to find work there. Standing outside the offices again, Jarrod hesitated, wondering what his next course of action should be when his attention was caught by a stentorian shout from the other side of the busy yard. Wheeling around to face that familiar voice, Jarrod stood rooted to the spot, staring at the brother he hadn't seen for more than three months.

Stripped to the waist, plastered with sweat and dirt, Nick Barkley was man-handling cattle up the ramps into cattle trucks, bellowing at his fellow drovers to help him. He was filthy and muddy and totally absorbed in his task, failing to notice the stricken figure watching him from the other side of the yard. There was a bustle of activity in the yard and for several minutes Jarrod lost sight of Nick as wagons and horses passed between them, when the view cleared again Nick was nowhere to be seen and even though he raced to the area where he had last seen him, Jarrod could not now find any trace of Nick.

He made frantic enquiries and searched with desperate urgency, but no-one knew a drover called Nick, and the cattle train he had seen Nick helping to load had gone now. A further call to the administrative office was fruitless and at last in despair Jarrod returned disconsolately to his apartment, slumping wearily into a chair. He was at the mercy of his thoughts now and they were not pleasant! Nick had looked very down on his luck, his hair in his eyes as he sweated with the cattle and Jarrod could only conclude that he had been reduced to working as a drover in the San Francisco stock-yard. Even as he thought this, Jarrod chided himself, why would Nick need to do any such thing? He was a wealthy rancher! Jarrod made a mental note to check their bankers the next morning and determine the state of Nick's finances.

At length Jarrod managed to calm his mind and he thought hard about what he should do next, clearly there was a pressing need to find Eugene and also to try and get to the bottom of Nick's mysterious disappearance as well. Jarrod felt a need for help and for someone to confide in, he would have liked to have sent for Sarah but he could not ask her to bring the baby to the City in a hurry. Instead he sent two telegrams, one to Sarah to apprise her of events and a second one to his mother. He wanted Victoria and Heath to come to the city without delay and aid him in his efforts to locate either or both of his brothers. Having sent his wires, Jarrod tried to rest but his mind was in torment, wondering where and how both his missing brothers were and what degree of responsibility he himself bore for their disappearances.

Continued…