EAST OF THE

CASCADES
 

 
 
 
 

C.J. PETIT
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
EAST OF THE CASCADES
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
EPILOGUE


 Copyright © 2020 by C.J. Petit

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2020
ISBN:
9798575435990
 
 PROLOGUE
 
September 17, 1888
Colville, Washington Territory
 
Keith watched his arrow trace across the damp ground and smiled when
it struck just above his last shot. He was about to slide another arrow from
his quiver when Smoke released a brief woof from behind him.
Without turning, he asked, “What brings you all the way out here,
Angus?”

Angus snickered as he approached his cousin and replied, “I just picked

up a good job and was going to ask you for a favor.”
Keith turned and asked, “And what is this favor?”

“You know it’s almost Eva’s time and I’m not sure that I’ll be back
before she has the baby. She’s such a small thing and I’m worried about her.
So, I was wondering if you could stop by and check on her while I’m
gone.”
Keith began unstringing his bow as he asked, “Why would you take the
job at all if you’re worried about her?”
“Like I said, it’s a really good job and I could use the money.”
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll take your party out for you, but you can
keep the money.”

“You know I can’t do that. Besides, they asked for me.”

Keith’s eyebrows rose slightly before he asked, “Who is in the party?”
 “Does the name Binder ring a bell?” Angus replied with a grin.
“Why would George Binder want you to take him hunting?”
“Not George, it’s his kid, Paul. He’s bringing his wife, too. And the
funny part of the job is that they’re not even going hunting. They want to
look for a sasquatch.”

“You’re kidding me! George Binder’s son wants to bring his wife into
the deep forests to look for the man beast?”
“Yup. They’re paying me good money, too. I told him that it wasn’t
likely that we’d find the big creature, but he said that it was an adventure.
He even told me that he didn’t care if it took a month!”

“You can’t have a party out there that long, Angus. You told him that;
didn’t you?”
“Of course, I did. I think he was just trying to impress his wife. He only
got married a month ago. She’s a real looker, too.”
“I hadn’t heard about it. But I don’t exactly mingle with high society
anyway.”
Angus laughed then said, “You don’t mingle with low society either.
Anyway, can you look in on Eva every other day or so? Mrs. Wharton is her
midwife and is supposed to visit her every day, but I’d feel better if you
checked to make sure that she’s all right.”

“I’ll do that. Where are you going to take your adventurers?”

“We’re using the triangle cut and heading north to the border. We might
even wind up in Canada.”

Keith nodded but wished that his cousin had taken his offer. He’d rather
face an angry grizzly barehanded than be with his wife when she went into
labor.
 “Okay, Cousin. Tell Eva that I’ll be stopping by, but you’d better not
take those folks so far that you can’t get back here to greet your new
daughter.”

Angus grinned as he replied, “Eva promised me that she’s going to give

me a son, and she never lies.”
Keith smacked his younger cousin on the shoulder then said, “I’m sure
she’s right. Just don’t name him Angus Junior.”

“We won’t. She wants to name him after her father, so he’ll be Matthew
James. Well, I’ve got to get back to get ready. If the baby’s born don’t come
looking for me if it’s a girl.”
Keith laughed as Angus turned, patted Smoke on his head before he
hurriedly walked away then mounted his gelding and rode off.
He shook his head before he began walking downrange to retrieve his
arrows with Smoke trotting behind. He’d never led a party into the
wilderness for anything other than hunting. Yet the couple had hired his
cousin to take them into the deep forests to search for a mythical creature
knowing that it was very unlikely that they’d spot one. It was an unusual
request, but he didn’t believe it would be the last.
There had been almost a rash of newspaper stories about the enormous
man-like hairy creature and he suspected that pretty soon, more visitors
would arrive to engage his services for similar expeditions. He’d seen a few
of their enormous footprints, but never caught sight of one. A year ago,
Pieter Sorenson claims to have shot one but even his big-bore Winchester
didn’t bring it down.

Keith was happy for Angus knowing that he could use the money but did
wonder why they had asked for him to guide their party. Angus was
relatively new to the business, while Keith had spent most of his life
leading hunting parties into the deep forests. He had been teaching his
young cousin for more than three years, but Angus had only led four
hunting parties by himself. Each of them had been relatively close to one of
their entry points and had experienced hunters among them. He didn’t
believe that Paul Binder was in that category. He was hardly an
outdoorsman, but maybe his new wife was familiar with the uncharted
country.

He was snickering by the time he reached his target and began pulling
his three arrows from the bullseye.
After inspecting them he slid each shaft back into his quiver, then turned
around and started back for his cabin.

“You’re going to have to stay here when I go to visit Eva, Smoke. You
scare most folks and even though Eva may like you, but I don’t reckon Mrs.
Wharton will be pleased to see you.”
As he talked, Smoke was looking up at him with his big brown eyes as if
he understood him, which always tickled Keith.

He still wore a grin when he entered his cabin to start cooking supper for
himself and his furry friend.
_____

“I’ll be all right, Angus,” Eva said as she rubbed her swollen belly.
“Keith said he’ll stop by every other day. I know that you think it’s
unnecessary, but I’ll feel better about it.”

“It is unnecessary but thank you for your consideration. What do you
think of the Binders?”
Angus shrugged and replied, “They seem okay. It’s kind of funny that
the wife seems a bit miffed because she’s not going to be carrying a gun.”

“Can’t you let her borrow one of yours?”

“Her husband insisted that it’s not ladylike and if we ran across any
wolves or bears, that either he or I would shoot them.”

“You let me shoot and I’m not unladylike.”

 Angus kissed her and grabbed one of her ladylike features before saying,
“No, ma’am, you are definitely ladylike.”

Eve giggled and swatted his hand before saying, “That is for your son,
Mister MacKenzie.”
“Matthew James MacKenzie. It’s a good name, sweetheart.”

“Just come home as soon as you can to greet your firstborn.”

“They’re paying me twenty-five dollars a day, Eva. That’s almost as
much as Keith makes. Pretty soon, I’ll be able to charge the same fee. When
Paul Binder returns to Spokane Falls, I’ll make sure that he tells his rich
friends what a good job I did.”

Eva laughed then said, “That’s only if you let them spot a sasquatch.
Maybe you should have asked Keith to dress up in a bearskin and let them
see him from a half a mile away.”
Angus grinned as he replied, “Keith’s only six feet tall and they say
those monsters are almost nine feet high. Besides, Paul would probably try
to shoot him.”

“At least his wife wouldn’t be able to take a shot.”

Angus kissed her again but rubbed her tummy this time. He hoped
Matthew James would wait until he returned.
 CHAPTER 1
September 18, 1888
Angus was riding his dark brown gelding and leading his heavily laden
pack mule as they entered the uncharted forests of the deep forest. It was a
typical day for the area, especially at this time of year. The skies were
overcast with a threat of rain and while the temperature was above sixty, the
humidity made it feel cooler.

He was wearing his heavy coat with his rain slicker while his head was
covered by a dark green woolen cap Eva had knitted for him.

Paul Binder and his wife, Hannah, were riding behind him on matched
black geldings and trailing a packhorse of their own.
When Angus had seen the couple in their traveling clothes, he had to
keep from snickering. Mrs. Binder seemed ready to face down a grizzly in
her heavy denim britches, thick boots, and heavy jacket topped off by a fur-
lined hat with ear coverings. On the other hand, her husband seemed as if
he was about to embark on a fox hunt in merry old England. He was
wearing tight cotton pants tucked into shiny black boots and wore a hunter’s
hat. At least he was wearing a heavy jacket. Neither was wearing a slicker
yet but had them rolled behind their saddle seats.

What struck him as even stranger was that Paul had the couple’s only
gun; a Model 1873 Winchester. It was a carbine and while it was still very
popular, it wasn’t capable of stopping a big bear. Even though it wasn’t a
hunting expedition, he had expected Paul to have a more powerful weapon.
Angus had his Colt pistol, his ’76 Winchester chambered for the .45-75
Express cartridge, his shotgun and a Sharps ’74 that fired the massive .50-
110 cartridge. All of them were gifts from his cousin, who explained the
reason for each gun. Angus didn’t carry a bow like Keith did, but few white
men did.

Angus had tried to make small talk with the couple before they left, but
there seemed to be tension between them, so he’d just told them where
they’d be headed.
After they’d ridden north into the dark forest for about twenty minutes,
Angus pulled up beside a tall pine, slid his modified hatchet from its small
sheath on his saddle and chopped a gash into the trunk.

Paul asked, “Why did you do that?”

Angus replied, “It’s a way of making sure that I can find my way back.
Every hundred yards or so, I just take a few seconds to mark our path.”

“I thought guides know their way through this wilderness. That’s why
I’m paying you.”
“I know how to handle what the wilds throw at us and how to avoid
getting hurt. I could probably find our way back without making the marks,
but this makes sure we take the fastest route. Even my cousin uses them
sometimes, and he knows these woods better than anyone.”

“That’s an odd-looking hatchet.”

Angus handed it to him as he said, “My cousin has been using one like it
for years and had the blacksmith make one for me. It has a normal blade, so
you can use it like you would a regular hatchet, but the back end has that
curved, sharp scoop. It leaves a very unique mark on the tree, so there’s
never a question of who put it there. Of course, after a week or so, it’ll be
gone, but it’s a very valuable tool.”
Paul gave the hatchet back to him and said, “That’s a good idea.”
Angus slid it home then smiled at Mrs. Binder before he realized that she
wasn’t even looking at him. He was going to ask how far they wanted to go
but figured that Mr. Binder would tell him when he wished to return.
 When Angus started his gelding moving, Hannah nudged her horse
forward, but Paul took a few seconds staring at the gouge left in the pine’s
bark. He then tapped his mount’s flanks to follow. Knowing that there
would be clear path out of the enormous forest was a relief. It gave him an
insurance policy if things went wrong.

_____
Keith was in his smokehouse hanging some fresh venison while Smoke
was outside devouring some of the large scraps that his human friend had
left for him.
Ever since Angus had returned to his house in town yesterday, Keith had
been thinking about the unusual expedition his cousin was leading into the
forest. Aside from the oddity of its purpose, having just one couple as
clients was even more unusual. Granted, Paul Binder could afford to
finance the search, but there would have been no added cost if a few more
people joined them. The clients provided most of the food except for what
they killed, and without any hunters, they’d have to carry more supplies.
Maybe they didn’t want to let sasquatch know they were there by shooting
game.
The other nagging question was why they had hired his cousin rather
than contact him. He would have thought that Paul Binder would have
wanted the best protection for his wife. Angus was a good shot, but not a
true marksman. He was also much younger than Keith and had only turned
twenty-two in April. He doubted if it was the five-dollar-a-day difference in
cost. That was another slight oddity. Angus’ regular rate was twenty dollars
a day, but Paul was paying him more. He should have asked his cousin if
he’d asked for the higher rate after he knew who his client was.

He added some fresh oak logs to the slow fire, then turned and left the
smokehouse and closed the door.
Keith glanced down at Smoke who was still gorging himself on the red
meat and said, “You’re going to get sick, pooch.”
 He laughed but knew better than to try to rub his canine friend’s head
while he was ripping his food into reasonably smaller chunks.

He’d had Smoke for almost five years now and he’d been a valuable
companion. When they went into the forest, Smoke would almost disappear
as he guarded the party’s perimeter. He’d only return to Keith when they
stopped for the night. He’d always introduce Smoke to his clients so they
wouldn’t be scared and shoot him when he did arrive. He wasn’t a wolf but
had similar size and colorings. Keith wasn’t sure which cur had fathered
him but wouldn’t have been surprised if a gray wolf hadn’t visited his
mother at Tom Peter’s farm.
He entered his large cabin and started a fire in his cookstove before
setting his large skillet on the surface. He cut the venison roast into two
large steaks and after spooning a healthy dose of bear fat onto the steel
surface, he laid the meat into the pan. He sprinkled on some salt and pepper,
then turned to his cold room to get a jar of chopped potatoes that were
already cooked.

_____
After he finished washing the dishes, he sat at the table with a cup of
coffee. He was debating about visiting Eva tomorrow or waiting another
day. He really liked Eva but figured that if he delayed it for another day, she
might already have had the baby. He was pretty sure that she wouldn’t
mind.

_____
As they set up their first night’s camp, Angus almost expected Mrs.
Binder to ask him if she could join him in his small pup tent. She had barely
spoken to her husband since they left town and he began to wonder if the
real reason her husband didn’t give her a gun was to avoid being shot. He
had kept a very slow pace in the hope that they’d see their sasquatch and
then they’d turn around, but he hadn’t been that lucky.
 He appreciated it when she offered to handle the cooking as the guide
usually was expected to do it. Paul had already told him that they wouldn’t
be shooting any game to avoid alerting any sasquatch. So, their supper
came out of tins and sacks, but Mrs. Binder was able to transform the bland
ingredients into a tasty meal.

As they ate, Hannah asked, “Have you led many parties, Angus?”
“This will be my fifth, ma’am.”
“Call me Hannah. I’m not as highborn as my husband.”
Angus laughed but abruptly ended it when he saw the look on her
highborn husband’s face.

Hannah seemed to enjoy making Paul uncomfortable, but his discomfort

was creating a similar reaction in Angus.
He looked at Paul and asked, “How far do you want to go, Mister
Binder?”
“As far as we need to go. Have you seen any of the monster’s
footprints?”
“Not yet, but we got a late start and we’re only about ten miles out of
town. I suspect that we’ll start seeing them tomorrow. The prints usually
don’t last long with all the rain, but if they step in the right place, those deep
prints will stay there for at least a week.”

“Don’t they show up more often near water?”

“Yes, sir. That’s why we’ve slowed every time we’ve crossed a stream or
seen a pond.”

Paul nodded then continued eating.

Hannah asked, “Have you ever seen one?”

“No, ma’am. But I’ve talked to one feller who swore that he put a bullet
into one and it didn’t even slow him down.”
 “Will you shoot one if you do see him?”

“Not unless you or your husband ask me to. It’s like running into a
grizzly bear. If you don’t need to bother him, you let him go. I imagine it’s
worse with a sasquatch. I’m sure you’ve heard all the tales about them.”
“I’ve been hearing them for years. But to be honest, I’m a skeptic. I’ll
only believe it when I see one. Hopefully at a distance.”

Angus smiled and thought it might be wise to discontinue the

conversation. He didn’t want Paul to believe that he was trying to impress
his pretty young wife.
But Hannah wasn’t about to let it die. She just changed the topic.

“Are you married, Angus?”

Angus grinned as he replied, “Yes, ma’am. My wife, Eva, is at home and
about to have our firstborn. She tells me that he’s a boy and we’ve already
given him a name. Matthew James.”

She smiled as she said, “That’s wonderful. When is your son going to
arrive?”
“Any day now.”

“Why did you agree to guide us into the wilderness if she’s about to
deliver?”
“We could use the money, ma’am.”

She glanced at Paul before saying, “I hope my husband is paying you

well.”
“Oh, he is, ma’am. I’m making twenty-five dollars a day.”

Hannah turned her eyes to her husband as she said, “You should be
getting more if you have to support a new baby.”
 Paul wasn’t paying any attention to their conversation, so her hint that he
should increase Angus’ fee fell on deaf ears. She wasn’t sure if he would
have added a dime to it anyway, but she had tried.

When she looked back at Angus, she asked, “What if your wife has a
girl? What name have you chosen?”
“Um, we haven’t picked a girl’s name yet because she was so convinced
that she was having a boy.”

Hannah smiled and said, “Maybe you could name her Rachel. That was
my mother’s name.”
“If Eva’s wrong and I find out that she’s had a girl when we return, I’ll
make that suggestion. It’s a nice name.”
“Maybe we should turn around tomorrow and head back to find out. I
don’t think we’re going to see the beast man anyway.”
Paul did hear that comment and his head snapped up before he
exclaimed, “We’re not going back tomorrow! We’re going to see one of
those monsters before we turn around.”

Hannah didn’t bow her head in deference, but defiantly stared at her
husband as she harshly replied, “Yes, dear.”
Angus stood then said, “As you did the cooking, Mrs. Binder, I’ll take
care of washing the dishes.”

“No, I’ll do it. I’m used to it anyway.”

Hannah then stood and began collecting plates and cutlery as Angus
remained standing.

After she’d taken his plate, Angus said, “I’ll go check the horses,” then
turned and left before anyone replied.
As he unnecessarily examined the animals, he hoped that things would
be more amiable tomorrow. Either that, or they’d better see a sasquatch.
Suddenly, Eva’s humorous suggestion that Keith don a bearskin didn’t seem
so silly.

_____
If anything, the second day of their trip had been even frostier. It hadn’t
helped that most of that day was spent riding in a steady rain which kept
their pace down even further. The third day was dry, but everyone was still
wearing a slicker, and tarps covered both pack animals.

Angus had continued to mark their trail on their slow passage and even
Hannah had stopped chatting as they rode deeper into the forest. He
estimated that they were already more than twenty miles from town before
they started the day’s ride. But that was as the crow flew and they had
hardly followed a straight path.
He hadn’t seen any giant footprints but hadn’t expected to spot any in the
open with this much rain. He knew that by late that afternoon, they would
reach a good-sized creek that would be worthy of being called a river back
east. If they were going to find the elusive man-beast, it would be there.
The creek eventually emptied into the Kettle River, which was about ten
miles west, but before it did, it dropped over a high ridge and created a
spectacular waterfall. If the Binders had been a typical newlywed couple, he
would have set up their camp nearby so they could enjoy the romantic
setting. They would probably still establish their campsite near the
waterfall, but he thought that Paul would consider the background noise a
nuisance.
He couldn’t understand why they had even married. Hannah seemed like
such a pleasant, down-to-earth young woman and a polar opposite to her
husband’s character. He wondered if she had married him for his money
then he’d discovered some impropriety in her past that made him regret his
decision to marry her. Whatever it was, he hoped that they’d see a sasquatch
soon so they could make a hasty return to Colville. He also wished that he’d
taken Keith’s offer.
 But whether or not he found footprints, he decided that the creek would
be the furthest he would take them into the forest. When he described the
location to Paul and suggested that the place would be a good place to start
their search, Paul had quickly and surprisingly agreed that it sounded like a
spot where a sasquatch would live.
Satisfied that he’d at least set a turnaround point, Angus continued north
in a better mood.
_____

Keith had the same hope that his cousin would find a sasquatch quickly
after spending time with Eva earlier that day. She had gone into labor late
that afternoon while he was visiting, and he had to fetch Mrs. Wharton. She
had ordered him out of the house as her daughter would be assisting her. He
was told to return in the morning to meet his new nephew. Even the
midwife seemed to believe that Eva was going to have a boy.
So, tomorrow, he’d head into town and see if Eva and the midwife were
right. He’d introduce himself to Matthew James and his cousinly duty
would be done. He didn’t have any jobs lined up, so he was thinking of
following Angus into the wilderness to give him the news. He needed to get
out of the cabin anyway. He hadn’t led a party in two weeks which was
close to a record. He was sure that Smoke and his horses could use some
exercise, and he could use some more bear fat.
_____
Just after noon, the sun broke through the clouds sending spectacular
beams of light through the forest. As it passed through the blanket of pine
branches overhead, it was softened by the fog created by the rise in
temperature. It was a landscape masterpiece that no human artist could hope
to recreate.
Angus turned to the couple expecting each of them to be wearing at least
a hint of a smile in appreciation of nature’s display but was disappointed.
Paul was in deep thought, but at least Hannah seemed to be admiring the
scene.
It was about an hour later when he first heard the constant low roar of
the waterfall. Both Binders must have heard the same sound, because when
Angus turned to let them know, they were both smiling for the first time
that day.
“How far away is it?” Paul asked loudly.
“Not far. We’ll be setting up camp in less than an hour.”
Paul nodded then turned to his wife and smiled.
“I’m pretty excited. I’ll bet we get to see the beast soon.”
Hannah smiled back as she replied, “Despite my reservations about
coming, I’ll admit that I’m thrilled with the prospect as well.”
Angus was relieved that they seemed to be getting along now that the
possibility of finding a sasquatch overrode whatever tension was between
them.
_____
Forty minutes later, they reached the creek. Angus had originally thought
they might want to be closer to the waterfall, but Paul had pointed out a
clearing to their right, which Angus agreed was a better location. The
chosen spot was a good four hundred yards from the waterfall and about
fifty yards from the swollen creek’s southern bank. There was plenty of
underbrush and reasonably dry branches on the ground for a good fire, too.
After dismounting, Angus took over setting up their camp. It was his job
as their guide.
As Angus began unloading their supplies, Paul said, “I’m going to go
and look at the waterfall,” then he looked at his wife and asked, “Do you
want to come along, Hannah?”
 She smiled as she exclaimed, “Of course! My butt was getting sore for
sitting so long anyway.”
Angus stifled a laugh and watched as the couple walked away. As they
headed to the waterfall, Angus scanned the nearby ground. He wasn’t
searching for sasquatch prints, but for marks left by known predators. He’d
spotted a few signs of black bears and a pack of wolves earlier but hadn’t
seen the fearsome creatures who had created them. The only animals they’d
seen on their journey so far were prey and if they’d been hunting, they
would have been packing a few large, white-tailed deer and one large elk
stag.
Hannah and Paul strode rapidly toward the waterfall, shifting slightly
away from the creek to get a better look. She was a bit nervous because
Paul wasn’t carrying his Winchester and she knew that there were bears of
all sizes nearby. She was still irritated that she wasn’t being allowed to carry
a pistol. She knew it wouldn’t stop a bear, but it might give her time to
make it back to the camp where Angus could use his rifles to stop anything
on four legs short of an elephant. And she didn’t think that the long-trunked
beasts inhabited the wilds of Washington Territory.

Paul thought it was almost a godsend when Angus had told him about
the waterfall. He thought that he’d have to shoot Hannah and even though
he knew it was necessary, he wasn’t sure if he could have done it. She’d be
looking at him with her big brown eyes and he might not be able to pull the
trigger. He thought that this would be a much easier way to rid himself of
her and now he wouldn’t have to kill the guide, either. That wouldn’t have
bothered him as he didn’t like the man anyway, but he’d told Hannah that
he did just to keep her from arguing with him. Paul may have been planning
to kill his wife, but he still found himself jealous when she smiled at the
guide. Now, it would just be an accident and he’d have a witness, too.
He tried to keep from appearing too anxious. He needed Hannah to be
relaxed and unaware of his intentions. As they neared the waterfall, Paul
added a slight twist to ensure that she was nearer to the edge of the cliff. He
knew that she wasn’t fond of heights and might not get close enough to the
cliff to push her over. He had to give her an incentive to look over the edge.

Hannah had no idea that her greatest fear shouldn’t be about bears or
wolves, but from her new husband. She’d noticed how much he’d changed
just two weeks after they’d wed and suspected that he’d discovered her
secret. But she couldn’t ask him what was wrong as it might trigger
questions. She’d pretended that everything was all right and had even
agreed to join him on this unusual journey. She thought that her willingness
to accompany him would dismiss whatever was bothering him, but it
hadn’t.
His father had never liked her, and Hannah knew he considered her a
gold digger and had upset his own plans for his firstborn son’s marriage.
She was honest enough with herself to admit that Paul’s wealth and position
did add to his attraction but knew that it hadn’t been the primary factor in
her decision to accept him.
But the Paul who had courted her and married her wasn’t the same man
who now walked beside her. She was convinced that whatever had triggered
the change had come from his father.
The roar from the waterfall was growing loud enough to prevent
conversation at a normal volume.

Paul shouted, “I want to look over the edge!”

“I’ll stay back. Those rocks are slippery!” Hannah yelled back as they
continued walking.

“Okay!”
They slowed down as they reached the rocky shelf that began fifty feet
from the cliff and began to separate. When Paul reached the edge, he was
about a hundred feet from the waterfall then stopped and peered down.

Even he was in awe of the sight. The waterfall cascaded over the edge of
the bluff and crashed into rocks about a hundred and twenty feet below.
There was a foaming pool of water at the base before the creek resumed its
northwestern path.

The forest below was still thick and some of the branches extended to
just a few feet from the face of the cliff. But that face was a series of
limestone ridges and sharp rocks. He looked directly down to the base of
the cliff and shivered. Maybe pushing her over wasn’t going to be as easy
as he’d hoped.
He glanced back at Hannah who stood ten feet behind him as she looked
at the waterfall and almost thought about defying his father but knew he
couldn’t.

He took a breath, then pointed down and shouted, “Hannah! There’s a

sasquatch down there!”
Hannah jerked her eyes from the waterfall and quickly stepped across
the rocks. She may have been afraid of heights, but the thought of actually
seeing one of the mysterious creatures overpowered her fear.
She was counting on the grips of her heavy boots to keep her from
slipping as she tentatively stepped over the rocks and soon stood beside
Paul near the edge of the cliff.
She crouched slightly, looked down but didn’t see anything moving, so
she asked, “Where is it?”

Paul didn’t answer as he placed his hand quickly on her back and shoved
as hard as he could.
Hannah felt his hand’s powerful push and as she had her legs bent
already, the sudden shove made her add a slight push as her legs extended.

She screamed as her arms flailed in the open air and she began to plunge
to her death. For the first second, she found herself in open air but soon the
pine branches appeared before her eyes and then she felt the impact of the
first branch on her chest. Her heavy jacket gave her some cushioning, but
the thin high branch snapped, and she continued to drop.
 She was still screaming as she tumbled to the ground, striking branches
and being tossed into rolls and flips. The fall which should have taken less
than four seconds if there hadn’t been the pine obstructions, took more than
double that time before she slammed into the pine needle covered ground.
Her screaming had stopped when the last big branch smashed into her chest.
She lay still and quiet but hidden from Paul’s view by the trees.

Paul was almost about to vomit knowing what he’d done but had to
continue to act as if it had been a hideous accident. He was sure that Angus
had heard her scream, so he’d be arriving soon, and he had to put on a
show.
Angus had been laying their saddles on a tarp when he heard Hannah’s
blood-curdling scream. He quickly turned and the moment he saw Paul
staring over the cliff, he knew she had fallen.
He doubted if she had survived that long drop over the cliff, but he
needed to be sure. He dropped the saddle and took off at a sprint toward the
waterfall.
Angus couldn’t maintain the speed for very long, but slowed to a jog
before he reached Paul, who was already walking towards him.
“
What happened?
” Angus shouted when he was close enough to be
heard over the waterfall.
Paul wore the expected stunned yet sorrowful face as he slowly stepped
away from the waterfall and yelled, “She fell! My Hannah slipped and fell!”
Angus didn’t know of Hannah’s fear of heights, and despite the tension
between the couple, he couldn’t imagine that Paul would push his young
wife over the cliff.
So, when they were close, he asked, “Why did she get so near the edge?”
“She thought she saw a sasquatch and was excited. She pointed almost
straight down, and when she turned to tell me, she slipped. I tried to grab
her, but she…she…she fell,” Paul replied before covering his eyes with his
hands.

Angus ignored his grief and asked, “Did you see her body?”
Paul shook his head, so Angus trotted to the edge and quickly looked
down. He didn’t see her body either, but there was only about twenty feet of
clear space at the base of the cliff where she’d fallen.
He turned and walked away from the edge and had to catch up with Paul
who was already walking back to their unmade camp.
When he reached him, Angus said, “We need to go check on her. She
might be alive and hurt.”
Paul was surprised that the guide would even consider making the
hazardous descent and said, “She couldn’t have survived that fall. Besides,
we can’t get down there.”
“We have enough rope to let me climb down the cliff’s face. At least I’ll
be able to find out if she’s dead. I can bring a shovel to dig her grave if I
need to.”
Paul nodded then said, “I’ll do all I can to help.”
Angus was already thinking of what he’d need to do to reach the bottom
of the cliff and still carry the small shovel. He’d have to tie their three ropes
together to get to the bottom, and he could just slip the shovel under his
gunbelt. It would be awkward but shouldn’t pose a problem if he had it at
his back.
Paul had agreed so quickly because he knew that he couldn’t return with
the guide after all. Angus may believe him now because of the intensity of
the situation, but after things calmed down, he’d have plenty of time to
think about the circumstances and he’d start to ask questions. Paul wasn’t
sure he could maintain the façade for that long. So, while Angus was
thinking of how to get to the bottom of the cliff, Paul was thinking about
how to get him to the bottom as well, but much more quickly than the guide
expected.

It took Angus and Paul ten minutes to make one long rope out of their
three coils. Angus hung the heavy rope over his shoulder while Paul picked
up the shovel. He then grabbed the guide’s odd hatchet and slipped it
behind his belt under his jacket while Angus was distracted.
Angus hadn’t had time to unsaddle their riding horses yet, so he mounted
Hannah’s horse while Paul stepped into his own saddle.
They soon reached the waterfall and after Angus dismounted, Paul
stepped down and set the spade near the cliff’s edge.
“I’m going to have to anchor the rope on the nearest pine,” Angus said
as he lifted the heavy coil of rope from his shoulders and dropped it to the
ground.
“What can I do?” Paul asked.
“Pray that your wife is all right,” he replied as he took one end of the
rope and began walking to the closest tree trunk.
He tied it off then walked back to the rope and tossed it over the cliff. He
had to peek over the edge to make sure that it hadn’t caught on any
obstacles before he picked up the shovel. It was a bit awkward with his
heavy coat, so he pulled off his jacket and set it on the rocks.
As he slid the spade’s handle behind his gunbelt, he said, “I’ll be
sweating a lot anyway.”
Once the shovel was in place, he shifted it a bit to the side to keep the tip
from biting so much, then picked up the rope in his gloved hands.
“When I find her, I’ll wave once if she’s alive but just shake my head if
she’s not.”
“Okay. Thanks for doing this, Angus.”
 “It’s what you’re paying me for.”

Paul said, “I’ll give you a bonus if you save her.”

Angus nodded and took a deep breath before stepping over the edge.
He’d never had to climb down from this height before and he wasn’t
comfortable. After he’d gone a few feet, he regretted bringing the shovel
and if he wasn’t worried so much about falling, he would have just pulled it
out and tossed it to the bottom of the cliff. He should have thought of doing
that before he started climbing.
After the guide’s head disappeared, Paul slid the hatchet from under his
coat. He couldn’t wait for Angus to get closer to the bottom.
It wasn’t difficult to find a perfect chopping block as the rope was
stretched over the granite rocks, so just thirty seconds after Angus began his
descent, Paul raised the hatchet over his head and swung its sharp edge into
the rope.

The rope survived the first shot but was heavily frayed. Paul raised it
again and this time when the blade struck the hemp, the rope snapped in
two. He had to fall away to avoid being whipped by the end that was
attached to the tree, so he didn’t see the rope disappear over the cliff.
Angus was looking down when he felt the rope give way. He screamed
but unlike Hannah’s fall which had arced away from the cliff, he dropped
straight down and began striking some of the sharp rocks and shelves. His
fall took much less time than Hannah’s had, but he might have survived if
he hadn’t had the shovel strapped to his back. Before he even crashed into
the rocks at the base of the cliff, the sharp point had rammed into his upper
thoracic spine. He landed awkwardly and was in agony with his seven
serious fractures and the blood pouring from his back. Angus knew that the
rope hadn’t snapped on its own and wished that Paul would stick his head
over the edge to watch him die. He wanted to shoot the murdering bastard
in the face, but soon found that his broken right arm wouldn’t even have
allowed him to have that last moment of satisfaction.
 As he struggled to breathe, he whispered, “Take care of my Eva and
Matthew James, Keith.”
Angus closed his eyes and used the last few seconds of his life to pray.
After almost a minute, Paul did peek over the edge and knew that the
guide was no longer a problem. He then turned, tossed the guide’s coat over
the edge and headed back to the campsite. He had to figure out whether to
take the guide’s horse and pack mule back or leave them. That decision
would come after he had created a good cover story.
_____
Keith had held off visiting Eva for as long as he could. He’d justified his
decision by telling himself that she needed time to recover and feed little
Matthew James.
He finally left his cabin in mid-afternoon even as his cousin lay dying
twenty-six miles away. He was riding his eight-year-old deep brown
gelding with just a single white slash on his forehead. He’d christened him
Friday just because he’d bought him on that day of the week. His other
horse was a six-year-old mare and was a slightly lighter shade of brown.
She was named Wednesday for the same reason.
His cabin, while technically still in Coleville, was a good mile from his
closest neighbor and encompassed two full sections of land which gave him
his privacy.

As he entered the town proper, he was a bit giggly as he figured that he

would soon be telling his cousin about his entry into the world of
fatherhood.
Angus was as close as he ever had to a brother and thought he’d made a
wise decision to marry Eva two years ago. She may have been a tiny
woman, but she was full of spirit and ran her home without interference. He
was curious if being a mother would make her gentler in nature. If it did, he
wasn’t sure that he’d like her as much.
 He pulled Friday to a stop before their small house and dismounted. He
tied off his gelding, stepped onto the small porch and knocked on the door.
He was smiling before it swung open, but immediately lost it when he
saw the troubled, if not angry face of Ida Wharton.
She snapped, “
Where have you been, Keith?
You should have come here
this morning!”
“I wanted Eva to have a chance to recover. How is she?”
“Come inside,” she replied as she stepped aside.
Keith removed his hat and entered the darkened room and noticed the
depressing silence.
Ida closed the door and said, “Eva had a difficult time, then when the
baby was delivered, he was badly deformed. It was almost kindness when
he died after a few rasping breaths. I tried to keep the baby’s death from her,
but she demanded to see him. I couldn’t let her see the baby’s body
especially as deformed as he was, so I told her that he had died. She
screamed and then jumped off of the bed, still demanding to see the baby.
She was bleeding badly by the time my daughter and I pulled her back into
the bed and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. She died before sunrise.”
Keith was stunned by the unexpected news but quietly asked, “Where is
she now?”
“Eva and the baby were taken to the mortician. You need to go there and
sign some papers. When will Angus return?”

“I don’t know. It depends on the client. I’m not going to wait for him to
come back. I don’t want him to ride into the house and find it empty. I have
to tell him.”
“Can you find him out there?”

“Easily. I’ll leave in the morning, but I’ll go to the mortuary right now.”
 “I’m sorry about this, Keith.”
“I know you didn’t do anything wrong.” he replied before he pulled
some bills from his pocket and handed them to her.
She looked at them and said, “This is more than double my fee.”

“It’s okay, Ida,” he replied before he sighed, then turned and left the
house. He was sick with grief himself and couldn’t imagine how horrible it
will be for his cousin when he had to break the news to him.
He mounted Friday and headed for the mortuary.
_____
Hannah had her eyes shut and was engulfed in pain when she heard
Angus’ scream which drove her to open her eyes. She was facing the cliff,
so when Angus crashed into the rocks just thirty feet away, she closed them
again in horror.

Her own agony was secondary as she forced herself to look again. She
saw the blood covering his shirt but thought he had survived the fall. She
was going to call out to him, but the pain from her right ribs prevented her
from taking the deep breath she would need to shout.
As she watched Angus die, she knew why he had fallen to his death. If
he’d slipped, the long rope that lay in a jumbled pile around him would still
be dangling across the rock face. Paul had not only tried to kill her; he’d
murdered their guide.

Despite her incredible anger for what he’d done, Hannah felt a measure
of guilt for causing Angus’ death. She saw this as partly her fault for not
confiding in Paul before he proposed. It hadn’t seemed important at the
time, but now it had killed Angus MacKenzie and would probably take her
life as well.
She knew her ribs were broken but her arms were just severely bruised.
Her right leg seemed to be almost normal, but her left ankle and knee were
both screaming at her. At least she was still wearing her heavy coat, slicker
and hat. She wouldn’t freeze to death and there was plenty of water just a
hundred feet away. Her biggest concern was now those sharp-toothed
predators who called this forest their home.
_____
Paul had decided to take the guide’s horse and pack mule back to his
widow and even give her the pay he’d promised with a bonus to make up
for her husband’s loss. He’d express his deep regrets and win her sympathy
for his own loss. He’d praise her brave husband’s efforts to try and save his
Hannah, even after they were convinced that she hadn't survived the fall.
It was too late to start back today, but he’d leave early in the morning.
He’d take one last look down to the bottom of the cliff to make sure that
Hannah hadn’t crawled out from the trees. Even if she had survived, he
couldn’t do anything about it. She’d die either from starvation or, which
was more likely, from a visit by a pack of wolves.
_____

Keith had returned to his cabin after giving Eva’s personal information
to the mortician. He’d paid for a proper burial and a headstone and wouldn’t
ask Angus for reimbursement. He’d had the name Matthew James
MacKenzie added to the headstone and was relieved that he didn’t have to
look on the deformed baby’s body. He was sure that Angus would ask about
his son, and Keith would have to lie, which would be difficult to hide from
his cousin. He dreaded giving him the news and would probably have
Angus move in with him rather than living alone in the house he had shared
with Eva.
After unsaddling Friday, he entered his cabin with Smoke trailing
behind.

He closed the door and said, “We have a bad trip ahead of us tomorrow,
Smoke. I was hoping to tell Angus that he had a son, but I’m going to have
to give him the worst news I could. Hopefully, you’ll be living with two
men for a while.”
Smoke seemed to sense his morose mood and didn’t wag his tail. He just
curled on the floor near the fireplace as Keith headed for his cold room. He
needed to start packing. It was almost automatic now. He didn’t pack any
differently for this entry into the wilderness than he would if he was leading
a group of hunters.
He didn’t even fire up the cookstove but had a cold supper of smoked
turkey and biscuits.
_____
That night, Paul tried to sleep in his bedroll rather than put up a tent. He
was grateful that there wasn’t any rain but found sleep difficult as the image
of Hannah flying away from the cliff wouldn’t leave his mind. He
eventually drifted off to a difficult sleep.
Hannah had already fallen asleep because she couldn’t do anything else.
She had tried to crawl to Angus’ body to make sure he wasn’t alive but
found it too painful to move very far. The other reason she desperately
wanted to get to him was to take his gunbelt and knife. She wasn’t sure if
she’d be alive in the morning if she wasn’t able to protect herself. Angus’
body not only had the means to drive the predators away; it would also
attract them.
Even if she was able to keep the wolves and bears at bay for a night or
two, she’d have to figure out a way to survive. She didn’t know what she’d
do if she could, but her determination to make Paul pay for what he did kept
her from sinking into hopelessness.
 CHAPTER 2
Keith was in the saddle with the predawn. He was riding Friday and
trailing Wednesday who was wearing the pack saddle. In addition to most
of his supplies. the mare was carrying his Sharps-Borshadt and his bow and
arrows. He had his Winchester ’76 in his scabbard and his Colt ’73 on his
hip. His pistol used the .45 Long Colt, so he had three different types of
cartridges in his saddlebags. He loaded his own ammunition, so he was able
to add a touch more powder to give him more power to take down even a
seriously angry grizzly. His pistol, while not having nearly enough stopping
power to slow down a grizzly, still could do serious damage to a black bear.
He soon entered the forest where Angus had a few days earlier and just a
few minutes later, he found the first of his cousin’s marks. He normally
didn’t ride this quickly when he was leading a party or even just hunting,
but he wanted to find Angus. He suspected that he might be on his way
back and he might run into him before the end of the day.

_____
Paul had taken one last look for Hannah before he set out from the camp.
He had remembered to untie the rope from the tree and tossed it over the
cliff with the rest. He knew that Keith Stuart was the guide’s cousin but
didn’t think that even he would bother to come and look for his body. Even
if he did, by the time he was able to reach the waterfall, his cousin’s body
would be gone.
His previous night’s guilt had been evaporated by the morning sun and
he was in better spirits when he headed south. He had packed everything
which had taken him much longer than he’d anticipated, so it was already
midmorning when he climbed into the saddle. He could keep a decent pace
and just had to keep checking the cuts in the trees thoughtfully left by the
guide. He had been counting on returning with the guide but once Angus
had explained how he marked their path, he was confident he could
navigate his return to Colville. He knew that he could make much better
time, too. He might even make it out of the trees before sunset.

Once he reached the town and explained to the guide’s pregnant wife
what had happened and left her the animals and the money, he’d continue
back to Spokane Falls. Then he’d tell his father that his wife was gone and
there was no need to disinherit him. He knew that his younger brother was
hoping that it happened, and Paul would enjoy watching John squirm.
_____

Hannah had awakened before Paul had checked on her existence but
found that her pain was even worse. She looked at Angus and noticed that
he hadn’t moved, so she was convinced that he was dead. She was surprised
that no critters had arrived in the night to take his body or sink their fangs
into her. She was grateful for the respite but expected that it wouldn’t last
much longer. She needed his pistol.
Yet even more than his gun, she needed to relieve herself. It was going to
be an incredibly difficult struggle and she thought it might be wiser to just
go and live with the discomfort. But she didn’t want to give Paul the
victory, so she slowly rolled onto her back.

She appreciated having the full use of both hands and arms as she
loosened her belt. Before she lifted her hips to drop her britches, she wanted
to be sure that her ribs hadn’t broken though her skin. She knew enough
about such injuries that if the ribs were completely fractured, when she
moved, she could drive a rib into her lung and then she’d be sure to die.
Hannah slid her slicker to the side, then unbuttoned her heavy coat.
Before she opened her flannel shirt, she slid her fingers across the right side
of her chest and was pleased when she didn’t find any unexpected bumps.
She then unbuttoned her shirt and was grateful that she didn’t even wear an
undershirt. She let her touch tell her that there were no serious fractures and
she thought it was possible that she hadn’t broken any ribs after all. If those
muscles that held the ribs together are ripped, it would hurt even more than
a simple crack in a rib. Whatever it was, it still hurt like the dickens. But the
lack of a sharp edge meant she could deal with her growing need to empty
her bladder.

She didn’t bother refastening her buttons but undid her britches and
slowly lifted her hips from the ground. Her left knee and ankle screamed in
pain as she wiggled her pants free, taking her underpants with them. She
dropped back onto the ground and sighed as she answered nature’s call. She
knew that her britches would probably absorb some of the smell, but it was
a victory, nonetheless.
After she painfully returned her britches and buttoned her shirt and coat,
she looked back at Angus’ body. It was so close, yet so far.

But knowing that she couldn’t cause one of her ribs to rip into her lung
gave her confidence that she could make it.
She rolled onto her left side and then carefully continued onto her
stomach. She lifted her upper body onto her elbows and began to drag
herself across the moist ground. It was excruciatingly slow and painful, and
she had to stop every five or six feet to catch her breath. After five minutes,
she swore that she wasn’t making any progress.

Hannah never gave a thought about Paul possibly seeing her as she made
her way into the open space. If he started shooting down at her, at least he’d
put her out of her misery. But she still wanted that pistol and hoped to put
one of the bullets into her murderous husband.
It took her nearly twenty minutes to cross the short gap and make her
way over the rocks near the body. When she finally reached Angus, she just
collapsed in exhaustion. After a few minutes of rest, she reached across his
body and unbuckled his gunbelt. She slid it free and then rolled onto her left
side to rest again.

She felt safer now. The gunbelt not only had the pistol, but another eight
cartridges and a good-sized knife. She’d seen the spade lying nearby and
wondered if it was worth taking with her. She might be able to use it as a
crutch. She knew that in her condition, she couldn’t bury the guide and felt
bad about it. What made it worse for her was knowing that his wife was at
his home and even now, might be giving birth to his highly anticipated son.

She finally looked up the face of the cliff and almost expected to find
Paul looking down at her. She hadn’t heard his departure over the loud roar
of the nearby waterfall, so she didn’t know if he was still there. It didn’t
matter.
She’d rest for a while then decide what do. Before she did, she pulled the
Colt from its holster and held it protectively close to keep the scavengers
away.

_____
Paul was already five miles south when Hannah had crawled into the
open. He was making good time and expected to be out of the forest in two
days, if not sooner. Angus had kept a very slow pace looking for a
sasquatch, but he needed to move much faster.

He rubbed his stubbled chin and felt almost as if he belonged in the

wilderness now. He’d committed two murders and the weakness he’d
expected to emerge when he first pushed Hannah over the cliff hadn’t
arrived. Killing the guide had been easy.
_____

Keith was already eight miles into the forests following his cousin’s
marks. He almost didn’t have to see them as Angus had been leading them
almost due north and there was still enough of a trail to follow.
Smoke was somewhere off to his right, but out of sight as he usually
was. Keith hoped to see his cousin returning with the couple before long.
He knew that Angus would have been moving at a much slower pace as he
led them deeper into the forest, so even if he’d taken them all the way to the
waterfall, Keith expected that he’d find his cousin no later than sundown.
 He was still trying to formulate the best way to break the news about
Eva. He wondered if it wasn’t better for his cousin that he hadn’t taken
Keith’s offer to take his place. He couldn’t imagine how upset Angus would
have been if he’d watched his wife die or viewed his misshapen son.

He stopped for a break just around noon and let his horses drink from a
small stream while he ate a quick lunch of smoked venison and biscuits. He
was back in the saddle just ten minutes later.
Paul hadn’t even bothered to take a break as he ate some trail food from
his saddlebags. He was anxious to put this whole episode behind him. He
felt as if Hannah had tricked him into the marriage and it had almost cost
him his inheritance. Within two days, he’d be able to return to his normal
life and look for a proper bride. He still didn’t want to give into his father’s
choice but thought it might be necessary. Karen Brown wasn’t bad-looking
and had a nice figure, but she was too girlish. Maybe she’d change when he
married her…after an appropriate mourning period, of course.

He was moving even faster for the next thirty minutes and was almost
shocked when he spotted someone coming through the gaps in the trees.
The single rider was leading a heavily loaded packhorse and Paul hoped
that he wasn’t Keith Stuart. If he was Angus MacKenzie’s cousin, then Paul
had to convince him that there was no reason for him to search for his
cousin’s body.
Keith had seen Paul a minute earlier and even though he hadn’t met the
man, he had no doubt who he was. He was leading Angus’ horse and pack
mule and the fact that he was alone made Keith’s stomach twist. He
couldn’t imagine how it was possible that Angus wasn’t with him. If he was
alone, but not leading his cousin’s animals, Keith would be willing to
believe that something had happened between Paul and his wife and Angus
had ordered the husband away. But that was a stretch and Keith began to
worry about Angus. He doubted if Angus would have made advances to
Binder’s wife, but if Paul flew into a jealous rage without cause, he could
have shot them both. He needed to hear what Binder had to say.
 Five minutes later, the two men pulled up just ten feet apart.

Keith was the first to speak when he asked, “You’re trailing my cousin’s
animals. What happened? Where is he and your wife?”
Paul had prepared his explanation before he left that morning but had
expected to be giving it to the grieving widow. Now he had to convince his
angry and suspicious cousin.

“I’m sorry to tell you the bad news, but both your cousin and my wife
are dead. We arrived at a waterfall yesterday and my wife and I went to the
edge of the cliff to take a look. She leaned too far and slipped on a wet rock.
I reached for her, but I was too late. She fell…”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then slowly opened them
again and continued, saying, “She fell. I could see her unmoving at the
bottom of the cliff. Her scream brought your cousin to our aid. After he
looked down, he told me that he’d go down to see if she was still alive. I
know he was only telling me that to make me feel better, so I said that he
shouldn’t take the risk, but he insisted. So, we strung together all of our
ropes and after he secured it around a tree, he began to climb down.

“I don’t know what happened, but I think it was because he had a spade
strapped to his back in case that he had to bury my wife. He was that
considerate. But after he’d gone just a few feet, he suddenly lost his grip
and plummeted to the ground. I was watching and it was a horrible sight!
He…he was almost decapitated by the spade when he hit the rocks.
“I felt useless as I looked down at their lifeless bodies. I’m so ashamed
of myself. I should have used that rope to climb down myself to check on
them, but I didn’t. I know that I’m not that strong and would probably have
joined them in death but felt that I should return to Coleville and let his wife
know. I’m so sorry.”

Keith listened to his story and it all seemed plausible. Binder had even
admitted to his own cowardice, which few men would do.
 “You couldn’t have helped. You don’t have to tell his wife, either. She
died in childbirth yesterday. I was on my way to break the news to Angus.”

“That’s terrible!” Paul exclaimed, “Is the baby alive? I know he was
expecting to have a son.”
“No. The boy died just after being born.”

Paul slowly nodded then said, “I’m sorry about that. At least you don’t
have to give him the horrible news. He’s probably already in heaven with
his wife and baby son.”
Keith nodded as Paul said, “Will you be riding back with me now? I
could use the company and there’s no use in going out there now.”

“I reckon that you’re right about the futility, but I’m going to go to the
waterfall, find my cousin’s body and give him and your wife a proper
burial.”
Paul was taken aback by his answer but couldn’t afford to show his
surprise or try to talk him out of it. Besides, Stuart didn’t have enough rope
with him to climb down that cliff and by the time he arrived at the waterfall,
the bodies would probably already have been dragged away.
“I understand. Do you want to take his horse and mule with you?”
Keith nodded, then walked Friday closer and detached the trail rope from
the saddled horse that he assumed belonged to Mrs. Binder. He didn’t know
her name and wasn’t about to ask.
After he tied the trail rope to Wednesday, he said, “You just follow my
cousin’s marks back to town, Mister Binder.”
“I will. Thank you for doing what I should have done, Mister Stuart.”
Keith waved and set Friday to a slow trot.
Paul believed and hoped that it would take him at least another day to
reach the waterfall, but Keith knew that he could reach it before sundown.
 After he watched Stuart ride off, Paul set his horse to a medium trot to
continue his journey. He needed to get back to Spokane Falls to talk to his
father before the cousin returned to Colville. He didn’t think that Stuart
would do much more than look down from the top of the cliff, but he
couldn’t take chances.
Then he tried to remember if he’d taken the time to untie the end of the
cut rope from around the tree and toss it over the cliff. He recalled thinking
about it, but he’d been concentrating on what he would do next and couldn’t
remember actually doing it. If he’d left it, then Stuart would know what had
happened. Then he recognized the much more obvious problem when he
realized that the rope should still be hanging down the face cliff or wrapped
in a big coil around the pack mule. He no longer doubted that Stuart would
start doubting his story the moment he saw the rope even if he had tossed
the upper end over the cliff.
Paul glanced behind him, then set his horse to a faster pace to get out of
the forest. He needed to return to Spokane Falls.

_____
Keith picked up his pace even more. He knew where he was going, so
there was no need to follow the trail. He needed to get to the waterfall
quickly. It wasn’t because he suspected foul play. He had believed Binder’s
story about the two deaths. Slipping and falling down a steep cliff wasn’t
uncommon, especially among the infrequent visitors to the wild country.
What happened to Angus sounded like something he would do. He was a
good man and would risk his own life just to bury someone who had died
under his care.
As he rode, he felt somewhat guilty with his own feeling of relief that he
wouldn’t have to tell Angus about Eva. Maybe he and Eva were together,
and their innocent son was with them and no longer deformed. It was that
hope that provided comfort to his soul.
He knew that he could make it to the waterfall well before sunset but
wasn’t going to follow the same path. The ridge that created the waterfall
began in another mile or so, so he’d soon turn to the northwest until he
reached the creek after it fell from the cliff. He’d follow it on the lower
ground and when he arrived at the base of the waterfall, he’d discover the
two bodies. He’d be able to move even faster with the level ground
surrounding the creek. He needed to get to the face of the cliff as quickly as
possible because he wasn’t about to give the wolves, bears and coyotes any
more time to reach his cousin’s body.

_____
Hannah had remained in the open ground so she could spot any intruders
but had managed to move closer to the waterfall to get some much-needed
water and to give her more clear space before the trees. She’d slung the
gunbelt over her shoulder rather than try to buckle it around her waist, but it
added to the difficulty of the move.
It was early in the evening as she sat on a rock near the waterfall. Her
injured ribs, knee and ankle seemed to be getting more painful, and her
stomach wasn’t happy. She was using her anger to keep away the dread of
her certain death when she spotted the first clawed visitor. She had expected
a wolf pack, but wasn’t happy seeing the black bear, either. The bear was a
large sow and would be needing a lot of food to prepare for hibernation.
She was probably carrying a cub, which drove her to ignore the frightening
scent of humans.
Hannah slid the Colt from its holster but didn’t cock the hammer yet.
She knew that the pistol couldn’t kill the big bear, especially at this range.
The black bear was still sixty feet away and had stopped to evaluate her
options. Hannah’s painful ribs added to her difficulty in trying to shoot the
bear.
If Hannah fired, she’d have to wait until the bear was much closer and
aim for its head. She knew enough about guns to appreciate that Angus’
Colt was chambered for the more powerful .45 Long Colt cartridge. She
would have been even happier if she knew that the cartridges had been
reloaded by his cousin and had a bit more punch.
 But even the added powder wouldn’t matter unless she was really lucky.
She knew that what was most important now was that she didn’t panic. She
had to keep her wits if she was going to survive, even if it was only for
another day or two.
The sow remained on her four feet as she studied the human who was
looking back at her. The scent of death told her that there was meat nearby,
and she was certain that it came from the other human who lay on the
ground. There was a good-sized gap between the live human and the dead
one and the bear’s only question was if the one staring back at her would try
to keep her away from the dead one.
Hannah understood that she wasn’t the bear’s primary interest and knew
the smart thing for her to do was to move closer to the waterfall to give the
bear free access to the body. She knew that Angus was beyond caring, but
she couldn’t do it. Beyond just the horrific sight of the bear dragging the
body away or eating it just fifty feet from her, she felt as if she owed it to
Angus to drive the bear away. He had risked his life to see if she was alive
and died in the process. She had liked the young guide and wanted him to
know that she wasn’t about to let the bear take his body without a fight. He
may never get to talk to his son, but she hoped that he would see her use his
pistol.
The bear was hungry and knew she had to act now or another bear or the
wolves would get the dead human. She began moving, but not directly
toward the woman. She angled to her right to approach the body from the
other side.
Hannah watched her and painfully aimed the pistol at the bear as a
warning but wasn’t sure the bear really cared.
The black bear didn’t know what the human was doing but was still
wary and kept her eyes on the woman.
_____
 Keith had reached the creek even faster than he’d expected. His biggest
handicap was Angus’ mule who seemed to be upset that he was still
moving.

He had the creek’s bank on his left as he headed toward the waterfall. He
hadn’t heard its low roar yet, but knew he'd hear it soon. He was probably
just a couple of miles away by now. Smoke was now much closer because
they were being funneled by the creek and the ridge.
The sun was low in the sky when Keith first picked up the murmur of the
waterfall. His desire to protect his cousin from the forest’s predators made
him nudge Friday into a faster pace.
He was less than a mile from the waterfall when he heard the crack of
gunfire echo from the ridge.
“Damn! Angus is still alive!” he exclaimed and set Friday into a fast trot.
For Angus to be firing a pistol, he had to be facing a wolf or a bear at
close range and Keith knew that only he had the firepower to stop a large
carnivore. All of Angus’ long guns were on the pack mule or his horse.
As Friday continued to pull the other two horses and the mule at a good
pace, Keith slid his Winchester from his scabbard and cocked the hammer.
He hoped he got there before the bear or wolf did.
_____
Hannah had put one .45 into the black bear at sixty feet before the sow
could start ripping apart Angus’ body. The big bear had roared before it
pulled back in pain then trotted away a few feet but hadn’t gone back into
the trees.

She cocked the hammer again and kept her eyes on the bear. She was
waging an internal battle between her instinctual need for self-preservation
and her intellectual need to honor her promise.
 She wasn’t afraid but was more concerned that she’d have to reload if
the bear refused to give in. She was sure that she wasn’t going to be able to
kill the bear with the pistol but didn’t know how many shots it would take
to drive it away.

The sow was hurting and bleeding from the bullet wound, but her need
to eat was dominant. The danger from the other human was now her biggest
obstacle. She then snorted, turned and trotted back into the trees.
Hannah almost laughed in relief then released the Colt’s hammer but
didn’t return it to its holster. She suspected that the bear would soon
reappear, or another bear would attempt to reach Angus.
She just wished the pain from her injured ribs wasn’t so intense. She had
initially thought that she’d missed the bear altogether because it had been so
difficult for her to keep the pistol’s sights from dancing. When the bear
roared in pain, she’d been surprised. She wasn’t sure that she’d be that
lucky if she had to fire again.
The bear had circled through the trees and passed the spot where Hannah
had first landed. She paused and sniffed the ground before resuming her
hunt. She’d get as close as she could to the human before making a rush
from the trees.
Hannah had the added problem created by the setting sun. In another
hour or so, the darkness would descend, and she’d be unable to spot the
bear when it attacked. If she’d had a little extra light, she would have
spotted the bear through the gaps in the tree trunks as it tried to get closer,
but it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
_____

Keith could hear the waterfall growing louder and knew he was close.
But he had to slow Friday because of the low light, and he couldn’t be sure
of the terrain. He may have had Angus’ horse with him if Friday was hurt,
but he owed it to his horse to keep him from injury.
 Smoke was trotting alongside Friday as they rounded a bend in the
creek, and Keith spotted the waterfall. In the shadows, it was difficult to
pick out any movement, so he just kept Friday moving as he stared ahead.
Hannah hadn’t seen him approaching in the distance as her eyes were
focused on the nearby tree line. She hadn’t cocked the Colt yet, but her
thumb was on the hammer. She wanted to minimize the amount of time that
she had to aim and was planning on cocking the pistol and firing almost as
if it was one of those fabled gunfights in Dodge City.
The bear was aware of the setting sun and knew she had to make her
attack soon. She was still bleeding but had to ignore the pain.

She didn’t roar or even grunt before starting her run out of the trees.
Hannah spotted the bear the moment it left its protection and quickly
cocked the hammer and brought the pistol level. She fought back the urge to
fire until the bear was much closer, but her painful ribs were making it even
more difficult to hold the pistol level. It was now a contest between her pain
and her will.

Keith had seen the bear explode out of the trees two hundred yards away
and knew it was too far away for him to take it down, even with his ’76. He
rammed his heels into Friday who lunged into a canter.
Hannah prayed that she didn’t miss as the big black bear raced closer but
still held her fire. The bear was just twenty feet away when she pulled the
trigger.
The .45 left the muzzle and a tiny fraction of a second later, it ricocheted
off the thick frontal bone of the bear’s skull. The sow was stunned and
rolled to the ground. For just a moment, Hannah believed that in an
incredible stroke of luck, she had killed the bear. But then the bear rolled
back to her feet and shook as if to show the human that she wasn’t hurt.
Hannah was cocking the pistol for another shot when the bear roared.
Hannah was startled and her thumb slid from the Colt’s hammer.
 As she fumbled to draw the hammer back again, she was startled by
another gunshot and whipped her eyes to the source of the sound.
The bear’s roar was cut short as it slumped to the ground just fifteen feet
before Hannah’s heavy boots.
In the shadows, Keith hadn’t seen who had taken the pistol shot, but was
able to spot and sight on the big bear. He was less than eighty yards out
when he’d pulled Friday to a sudden stop and fired. After he saw the bear
drop, he tapped his gelding who started moving again at a walk. He had
been surprised that his one shot at this range had stopped the bear and
suspected he’d have to put another round or two into the black bear before
it died.
As he drew closer, he kept his Winchester’s sights on the bear and still
didn’t notice that it had been Hannah and not Angus who had fired the
pistol.
Hannah saw the rider and horses approaching and was convinced that
Paul had returned to make certain that she was dead. She finally cocked her
Colt’s hammer and aimed it at him but waited until he was closer. He
wasn’t going to find her so vulnerable this time.
After the bear hadn’t moved for another ten seconds, Keith was satisfied
that it was dead and as he lowered his Winchester, he shouted, “Angus!
You’re alive!”
Hannah was startled and momentarily confused. She had been so sure
that Paul was riding that horse that it was difficult for her to believe that he
could be anyone else.
Who else would be out here in the deep forest?
Keith was still fifty yards out when he noticed a body on the ground
about fifty feet to the right of the bear. He stared at it for another five
seconds before he recognized Angus’ unique MacKenzie plaid wool shirt.
He had four of them made years ago to show his pride in his family
heritage.
 Keith didn’t even look at Mrs. Binder as he shifted Friday to his right.
He kept his eyes focused on Angus as his heart sank. He’d been expecting
to find his cousin’s body, but in that brief period after he’d heard the
gunshot, he thought that Angus had survived. The new realization that he
hadn’t seemed almost cruel after his fleeting hope that he had lived through
the accidental fall. Yet he still believed Paul’s story that his cousin had
fallen when trying to rescue Mrs. Binder.
After he had called to her as Angus, Hannah wanted to ask him who he
was, but couldn’t shout over the waterfall’s background noise. So, she just
lowered the pistol and released the hammer to wait for the man to approach.
When he had shifted to visit the guide’s body, she realized that the rider was
Angus’ cousin, Keith Stuart. Angus had talked about his older cousin often
and had even told her how he’d offered to guide them yet let him keep the
money. She still couldn’t understand why or how he had arrived so quickly.
Keith slid his Winchester back into his scabbard when he pulled up close
to Angus then dismounted. He had to wind through the jagged rocks to
reach his cousin.

As he took a knee over his body, he was overcome with emotion, but
even in his distraught state, he noticed that something was wrong. The long
rope was wound across the ground surrounding his cousin when it should
have been hanging down across the cliff’s face. He looked up at the rocky
surface over his head and knew it was over a hundred feet. He quickly
estimated the jumbled rope’s length to be something less than eighty feet.
He began sliding the rope through his hands until he had the first end, then
the second. One end was finished with a binding from the factory, but the
other had been sharply cut. He quickly glanced to his right and saw the
other severed end of the rope.
His grief was violently displaced with fury when he realized that Paul
Binder had cut the rope and killed his cousin. He’d ask Mrs. Binder about it
shortly, but it was getting late and he had a lot to do.
 “I’ll bury you here, Angus,” he said softly, “but I need to do some things
first. I’m sure you understand.”

He stood, pulled out his knife then cut a twenty-foot length of the rope.
He carried the rope to the bear and slid it under the sow’s thick neck. After
making a tight knot, he walked to Angus’ horse and looped the other end
around his saddle horn.
He didn’t mount the gelding but led the horses and mule away from the
bottom of the cliff. The big gelding’s leg muscles bunched as it struggled to
pull the bear’s body, but once it began moving the strain diminished.
Hannah watched him and even though he was dragging the bear away,
she thought that he was coming closer to her so she could tell him what
happened, but he didn’t. She was sitting just a few feet away from the
waterfall and he was leading the horses and the dragging bear past her.
Keith guided the gelding on a diagonal line toward the creek after the
large pool. He needed to get the bear’s carcass out of the area to keep it
from attracting predators. He thought about just dragging it another four
hundred yards away and leaving it, but it would still be too close. He’d drag
it about two hundred yards downstream and then dump it into the fast-
flowing water.
When he reached the creek and started disappearing into the growing
darkness, Hannah began to panic in the belief that she was going to be left
to die again. She’d been surprised when he’d dragged the bear away, but
then he acted as if she didn’t even exist. She thought that he might
somehow blame her for his cousin’s death and had decided not to help her
at all.
Keith hadn’t forgotten Mrs. Binder, nor had he any intention of
abandoning her. He was just deeply immersed in thought as he led the
horses and mule alongside the creek. Paul Binder had murdered his cousin
and didn’t even seem that upset about it. Keith felt like a fool for not even
questioning him. He wasn’t sure that Mrs. Binder even knew why her
husband had murdered Angus. He still couldn’t imagine that the man would
have tried to kill his own wife.
When he figured he was far enough away, he released Friday’s reins and
led Angus’ gelding into the creek. He only waded about a foot deep into the
water before he released the rope from the saddle horn. He then let the
gelding’s reins drop and stepped out of the water. The bear’s body wasn’t
moving in the shallow water, but he was counting on the rushing creek to
add its power to the effort. He dropped to his heels beside the bear’s chest
and pushed with both hands. It was difficult to even budge the large animal,
but he kept shoving. His own legs bunched as he exerted as much force as
possible to get the sow into the deeper water.
He dug his boots into the rocky bank and grunted loudly in one last
effort which finally half-rolled the bear before it suddenly was pulled from
his hands. He almost fell face forward into the creek but managed to keep
his balance as the bear floated away with the rope floating behind.
Keith took a deep breath as he watched the black bear’s body roll and
twist away in the boiling water. Once he was satisfied that it would be well
gone before it was found by hungry carrion-eaters, he turned and mounted
Angus’ gelding. Angus was four inches shorter than he was, so the stirrups
were a little too high, but it didn’t matter.
He took Friday’s reins then turned the gelding back toward the waterfall.
The sun was almost completely gone now, but there was enough light for
him to see Mrs. Binder still sitting on the rock.
When Hannah had seen him dismount and shove the bear into the creek,
she still wasn’t sure if he was going to return. It was only when he started
back that she was able to release her fears. With her biggest worry now
gone, her injuries became her top priority again. She wasn’t sure what Keith
Stuart was planning to do, but she didn’t believe she could ride for a while.
Surely, he wasn’t going to leave after sunset.
Keith wanted to bury Angus quickly, but now that the bear’s body wasn’t
there to attracted unwanted company, he thought he’d better take some time
to talk to Mrs. Binder. She might be alive, but he was sure that she must
have sustained serious injuries in the fall. But then, he was assuming that
Paul Binder had told him the truth that she’d fallen. Maybe she had climbed
down the rope for some reason and when Angus had followed, her husband
had cut the rope in a fit of jealous rage.
Keith shook his head to clear the strange paths his mind was taking as he
neared Mrs. Binder. He’d have more answers soon enough.
When he dismounted just ten feet in front of her, Hannah didn’t see the
family resemblance. But he was Angus’ cousin and not a brother, so it
wasn’t that surprising. But she was surprised how much bigger he was than
Angus. She hadn’t spotted Smoke yet, either.
Keith just let the reins drop and let the horses and mule walk to the
waterfall’s pool to drink. Smoke would keep them from wandering too far.
“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you before, ma’am, but I needed to get that
bear’s carcass away from here before I did anything else. Are you hurt?”
“I think I broke some ribs and maybe my left ankle. My knee is hurt too,
so I can’t move very well.”
Keith nodded as he replied, “I’ll help you to a better spot shortly, but can
you tell me what happened, Mrs. Binder?”
“Yesterday afternoon, my husband called me to the edge of the cliff
because he claimed to have seen a sasquatch. When I was looking down, he
pushed me.”
Before she could continue, Keith exclaimed, “
He pushed you? Your
husband tried to murder you?”
“Yes. He pushed me so hard that I flew away from the cliff and the tree
branches broke my fall. I was on the ground and in pain when I heard
Angus scream and then hit the ground. I saw the rope scattered around him
and knew that my husband had cut it to kill him as well.”
 Keith knew that there was much more he wanted to know, but it was
getting late, and he still needed to set up for the night after he buried Angus.
“Mrs. Binder, we’ll talk more later, but I have to set up a camp and bury
my cousin.”
“I can wait.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Keith returned to the horses, removed Angus’ bedroll then carried it back
to Mrs. Binder where he spread it on the flat ground a few feet in front of
her.

“Do you need help, ma’am?”

“If you don’t mind. It took all of my strength to crawl here.”
“Which side of your ribs are hurt?”
“My right.”
“Okay,” Keith replied as he stepped to her left side.
Hannah set the gunbelt aside as he bent at the knees then reached behind
her with his right hand and carefully placed it under her armpit. He then
pulled her left arm behind his neck and slowly stood making Hannah gasp
from the pain.
Once she was upright, he began slowly stepping away from the rocks
and soon reached the bedroll where he lowered her gently to a sitting
position.
Once she was reasonably comfortable, he stood and asked, “Will you be
all right while I bury my cousin?”

“I’ll be fine. The spade is over there somewhere.”

Keith nodded then turned and headed back to Angus’ body. He’d seen
the spade and what it had done to his cousin’s back. He’d bury the tool with
him.
He wished he could return Angus to Colville to rest beside Eva, but that
wasn’t possible unless he abandoned Mrs. Binder. He’d have to dig his
cousin’s grave as far from the waterfall as practical.
He picked up the spade but didn’t examine the blade for blood before he
stepped another fifty feet away from the waterfall. Beyond that was more
forest and he assumed it was where Mrs. Binder had fallen.
Keith selected a spot that was less likely to have many roots and
removed his heavy coat before he began to work. If he was digging a grave
for a hunter who’d suffered a similar fate, which he’d had to do twice
before, he wouldn’t dig a hole deeper than three feet. But this was Angus,
and Keith wasn’t about to give the critters a chance to reach him. He’d wrap
him in one of his tarps, too.
He dug as quickly as he could, but it still took almost an hour before he
ran into a thick root and had to stop. It was less than five feet deep, but it
would have to do. He climbed out of the hole and wiped the sweat from his
brow before walking back to the horses. He didn’t even glance at Mrs.
Binder as he removed one of the tarps from the pack mule then headed back
to Angus’ body.
After spreading the tarp on the flat ground, he stepped closer to Angus’
body and lifted it from the rocks. He carried it to the tarp where he
reverently lowered it onto the canvas then folded it over the body.
He slid it beside the hole, dropped down into the damp earth then pulled
Angus’ wrapped body into his arms and carefully lowered it to the bottom.
It was a tight fit, but he was able to climb out without stepping on his
cousin’s body.
Once on level ground, he picked up the spade and began shoveling the
dirt back into the hole. Before he finished, he dropped the spade on top and
then kicked the last of the dirt on top. He’d add stones to the grave
tomorrow, but he still had a lot more work to do.
 He picked up his coat and headed back to Mrs. Binder.
She’d been watching him work and even though she knew that she had
shared no blame for Angus’ death, she still felt guilty. If she’d been honest
with Paul before she’d accepted him, none of this would have happened. He
probably would have retracted his proposal and walked away, but even
staying at home and living with her father was preferable to this.
Keith glanced at the horses and mules who had moved away from the
creek and were grazing under Smoke’s watchful eyes. They probably
wouldn’t go very far anyway, but Smoke would ensure that they stayed
close.
“Are we staying here tonight?” Hannah asked when he was close.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll set up camp and build a fire. It won’t be a full camp, so
it won’t take long.”
Keith made a detour to pick up Angus’ gunbelt then left it with Mrs.
Binder before heading to the horses. One of the many advantages of having
Smoke was that he didn’t even need to hobble his horses when he camped.
When he led the horses and pack mules closer to Hannah, she finally
spotted the large dog. If it hadn’t been quietly trotting close to Keith Stuart,
she would have believed it was a wolf.
Keith began removing the heavy packs from Wednesday and then the
pack mule. After he stretched a tarp on the ground, he started stripping off
the saddles and setting the tack and long guns on the tarp. When the horses
and mule were bare, he folded the tarp over the leather and weapons. It
didn’t look like rain, but that could change, and the dew would be heavy in
the morning even if the clouds didn’t arrive.
He took his own small spade and began to dig a fire pit. As he worked to
set up the campsite, he was already thinking about what would happen
tomorrow. A lot depended on Mrs. Binder’s condition. She might be able to
ride, but she probably couldn’t stay in the saddle for very long. Even if her
ribs weren’t broken, she’d be in a lot of pain as she rocked in the saddle. It
was impossible for anyone to remain perfectly still when riding.
It wasn’t really necessary for him to return to Colville as quickly as he
could. It wasn’t unusual for him to be out in the wilderness for weeks at a
time and all that might happen would be that he might lose a potential
client. The only reason for him to return soon was that Paul Binder might
recognize the enemy he’d created and send someone to eliminate him. He
needed to talk to Mrs. Binder to learn more about her husband.
After building the fire pit, it didn’t take long to find kindling and wood
for the fire. When the camp was habitable, he walked back to Mrs. Binder.
When he was close, he dropped to his heels and said, “I’ll put up one of
the tents for you shortly, but I’m going to move you closer to the fire pit.
Can you lie down?”
“Lie down?”
“I’m going to drag you over there rather than make you stand again.”
“Alright,” she replied before she slowly stretched out onto the bedroll.

Keith stood, then bent over at the waist and grabbed the bedroll. He
began walking backwards toward the fire pit, shifting his gaze between his
destination and Mrs. Binder to make sure she wasn’t in too much pain. She
was grimacing as she bumped along the ground, but Keith knew it would be
much harder on her if she’d tried to walk the thirty feet.
When he was just six feet from firepit, he released her then stood and
stretched his back. The accumulated strain from digging the grave then
stripping the animals had reminded him of his own damaged body. He led a
hard life and enjoyed his profession. But the accumulated damage his body
had endured with broken bones, damaged joints, ripped muscles and the
many cuts and slashes was the price he paid for that life choice. At least
he’d never been shot. Some of those gentlemen hunters fired willy-nilly
when they saw big game and he considered himself fortunate to have
avoided their misdirected bullets.

“I’ll set up a tent nearby before I cook us some supper. Do you need
anything before I do that, like water or some privacy?”
“Thank you, but no. I took care of my privacy issues just before the bear
arrived. I am very hungry, though.”
“I’ll give you some smoked venison before I pitch the tent.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
Keith smiled at her before he walked to one of his packs and pulled out a
large piece of smoked meat. He cut the venison into two smaller pieces and
tossed one to Smoke who caught it in midair. Then he picked up one of his
canteens before taking two of his biscuits from his saddlebags.
He was about to just turn and go back to Mrs. Binder, but stopped and
stepped over to another pack and removed a tin plate. After setting the
biscuits and meat on the plate, he headed back to Mrs. Binder. He figured
the wife of a rich man’s son would expect to be served properly, even if the
rich man’s son tried to murder her.
When he gave her the plate, she smiled up at him and said, “Thank you,
Mister Stuart.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am. I can get you some cutlery if you’d like.”

“That’s not necessary. This is fine.”

Keith nodded, then turned to retrieve one of the small tents from the
stack of supplies. He could use Angus’ tent but decided that he’d let her
sleep in his while he slept in the open air. He actually preferred using a tent
most of the time because of the unpredictable weather, but he didn’t want to
use Angus’ tent; at least not tonight.
As he spread out the canvas, he glanced at Mrs. Binder in the light of the
almost full moon and was surprised to see her attacking the food like a
starving teamster. Maybe she wasn’t the society type after all. She surely
wasn’t dressed like one.

He soon tied off the last tent support cord then stepped over to Mrs.
Binder.
“After we’ve eaten a real supper, I’ll slide you into the tent. It’ll be tight
getting you inside, but I think I’ll be able to manage it.”

“Are you sure? I can sleep outside. I did last night, and I wasn’t this
comfortable.”
“It’ll be better if you’re in the tent. My dog Smoke will keep away any
bad critters, but you’ll still be safer inside the tent.”
“Okay. How did you get here so quickly? When I first saw you, I thought
that you were my husband and had returned to make sure I was dead.”
“I came looking for Angus. I actually met your husband when he was
leaving, and he told me that you had fallen, and that Angus had slipped
when he tried to climb down the cliff. I believed him and just let him go.”

“You met him?” she asked in surprise, “Didn’t he even feel guilty for
what he did?”
“No, ma’am. He seemed upset that you’d died and praised my cousin for
his bravery. Maybe that’s why I wasn’t suspicious. He did try to get me to
turn around and come with him, but I didn’t think much of it at the time.”
Hannah closed her eyes as she tried to keep her anger in check. Her ribs
wouldn’t be happy if she began to rant.
Keith wanted to ask her why her husband had tried to kill her, but it
really didn’t matter. Paul Binder had murdered his cousin and that was the
only thing that was important to him. Even as he’d been burying Angus,
he’d been thinking of ways to find justice for his cousin. He was certain that
going to the sheriff would be a waste of time. All he had was a cut rope and
Mrs. Binder’s testimony. He wasn’t even sure if she would legally be
allowed to testify against her husband, even if she was the intended victim.
Keith was sure that long before he even arrived in Spokane Falls, Paul
would have reported the deaths as accidents, and no one would dispute his
word. If he was to have Paul Binder punished for his crimes, then Keith
knew he would have to be the one to administer it.
“I’ll get the fire going,” he said before he stepped over to the firepit.
____
After he’d met Keith, Paul was concerned that Angus’ cousin would turn
around and come back to ask him more questions. He believed that he was
close enough to the edge of the forest that he no longer needed to follow the
cuts made by the guide and had made a sharp turn to the east to avoid
Stuart.
He continued east for almost an hour before turning right. The terrain
dictated his new direction which wasn’t south, but southeast.  He was now
riding deeper into the forest rather than toward Colville. He should have
just pulled up and set up his own camp, but he continued riding in the belief
that he’d soon be out of the trees.
He finally realized his error just as the sun set and he was still
surrounded by tall pines. He pulled up, dismounted then proceeded to build
his campsite. He wasn’t going to do much more than his stretch out his
bedroll and make a fire as he had no idea how to assemble the large tent
he’d shared with Hannah. He had his Winchester, so he wasn’t concerned
about wild animals.
Paul knew that when the sun rose in the morning, he’d be able to get his
bearings. He’d just ride with the sun at his back and should be out of the
forest before long.
_____
 “This is really good!” Hannah exclaimed after taking the first bite of
Keith’s stew.
“Thank you, ma’am. I usually don’t make hot meals when I’m out on my
own, but some of the hunting parties expect me to do the cooking.”
“I’m really sorry about your cousin. He seemed like a very nice man.”
“He was. I’m going to miss him.”
“It’s sad that he won’t be able to see his son after he’s born.”
“It is very sad, ma’am,” he replied, “But in a way, it’s a blessing, too.”
She was still chewing, so she quickly swallowed then asked, “What do
you mean?”
“His wife went into labor shortly after he left and delivered a baby boy
early the next morning. The little boy died shortly after birth and his wife
died soon after. I was going to have to break the bad news to him, and I
know it would have almost killed him. He and Eva were as close as any
couple I’ve ever known. That’s why I think it’s a blessing. They’re together
for eternity now.”
Hannah nodded, then after a short pause, asked, “Where will you take
me after we leave the forest?”
“You obviously can’t go back to your husband, but do you have any
family in Spokane Falls where you can stay?”
“I don’t want to return to Spokane Falls. I lived with my father, but I
don’t think he wants me back.”

Keith didn’t want to know why that was so but knew that he had time
before he had to decide what to do about Mrs. Binder.
“You can stay at my cabin until your injuries heal unless you’d rather
stay in Angus’ house in town. We can figure out something later. We won’t
be able to get back to Colville for a couple of days anyway. Then I’ll have
to figure out how to deal with your husband.”

Hannah asked, “What can you do? You know that he’s protected by his
father now.”
“I know. I also understand that he’ll be telling everyone the same story
he told me. There is no way that I could have him arrested. I can’t do
anything to him down in Spokane Falls, either. It’s a frustrating situation,
but I’ll come up with something.”

Hannah took another bite of the hot stew and began to think about Paul
and what he or his father might do. Paul thought she was dead, so that
might be an advantage. Paul rarely left Spokane Falls, so it was unlikely
that he’d see her if she stayed in Colville. But he’d talked to Keith and then
watched him ride to the waterfall to check on his cousin, so Paul would
probably be worried, and with good reason.
After her mouth was empty again, she said, “Paul will know that you had
probably found the cut rope and know what he did. He’ll tell his father and
Mister Binder will send men to kill you.”
“I already figured that out, ma’am. They won’t be able to get here for at
least three days, and by then, we’ll be long gone. We’ll swing wide and then
exit the forest west of town. They’ll never see us. That’s as far as I got in
my planning.”
“Everyone in town knows where you live; don’t they? So, they could
just send men to your house.”

“Yes, ma’am. But just about everyone in Colville knows about Smoke,
too. He wouldn’t let anyone get within two hundred yards of my cabin
without letting me know of the threat.”
Keith had been managing to sneak in bites of stew during the
conversation and had to refill his bowl.
When he stood, he asked, “Would you like some more, Mrs. Binder?”
 Hannah handed him her almost empty bowl as she replied, “Thank you.
Could you please call me Hannah? I’m not sure that I want to be called
Mrs. Binder ever again.”
Keith took her bowl and said, “Yes, ma’am. Call me Keith.”
He scraped the pot empty of stew then pulled it away from the fire
before he gave Hannah her steaming bowl and sat back down.

“You must have left town right away.”

Keith nodded then replied, “I just made arrangements for Eva and the
baby’s burial before I left but didn’t stay around for the internment. I had to
tell Angus before he returned. I had them add Matthew James MacKenzie
to her memorial stone because I thought that Angus would appreciate it.”

“Angus talked about his wife and how she was convinced that she would
have a boy. When Angus told me that he’d only chosen a boy’s name, I
suggested that if she surprised him with a daughter that he could name her
Rachel. He said it was a pretty name and would ask his wife. I guess it
doesn’t matter now.”
“I reckon not. My mother’s name was Miriam, and I always thought it
was the most beautiful name I’d ever heard, but Rachel is just as nice.”
“Was your mother Jewish?”
“I have no idea. She could have been, but the subject never came up. I
was just a boy when she died.”
“Didn’t your father know?”
“If he did, he never told me. Let me explain how Angus and I are related
to give you an explanation for my ignorance on the subject.

“Angus’ father and mine were good friends and worked with the Hudson
Bay Company as trappers and guides. When they decided to settle down,
they came here when there was only Fort Colville. After the fort closed and
the town of Colville was created, they built a cabin outside of town. When
it was done, they went down to San Francisco and, um, arranged for their
wives. Technically, they were mail order brides, but essentially, they bought
them. Miriam and Anna were sisters, but neither Angus nor I recalled their
maiden names. They were married in San Francisco, so we could have gone
down there to check, but we never did. It really didn’t matter to either of us.

“After a while, as Colville began to grow, Angus’ father moved into

town and my father stayed in the cabin. His father’s name was Keith, and
my father’s name was Angus. They had agreed to name each of their
firstborn sons after the other, so I became Keith MacKenzie Stuart, and he
was christened Angus Stuart MacKenzie. That’s how we became cousins.”
“So, you could be part Jewish.”

“I could, but it really doesn’t matter what we are; does it? It only matters
what we do with our lives.”
“I totally agree with that. When did your father die?”

“That’s another oddity in our family histories, such as they are. I was
born six years before Angus because his mother had two miscarriages. We
each had a baby sister for a little while, but my sister died just a few days
after she was born and his died when she was two. My mother died when I
was eight, so I lived alone with my father. I started going out with him as a
guide when I was seven, by the way. Angus lived in town and stayed with
his mother because she wasn’t very strong.
“When I was sixteen, my father’s wanderlust from his younger years
resurfaced, and he convinced Angus’ father to go with him back to Canada.
So, one day they both just disappeared. I haven’t heard a word from either
of them since; and it has been over ten years now. Angus’ mother died three
years ago, so he asked me to show him how to be a guide. It had become
quite a big business since my father left. I have two or three hunting parties
a month during the summer.
“That’s why I was surprised when Angus told me that your husband had
asked for him to guide you. Granted, he charged less than I did, but I don’t
think five dollars a day would have bothered a Binder. What was odd to me
at the time was that it was five dollars a day more than his usual rate.”

“You make thirty dollars a day when you guide hunting parties? I wasn’t
there when they agreed to the cost. I was buying some personal supplies
and only met him later that day.”
“Yes, ma’am. You have to understand that almost without exception, the
ones that arrive in Colville to mount a serious hunting expedition are
gentlemen who could afford the best of everything. They not only were
happy to pay my fee, but most of them give me a bonus when we return
from the hunt. I learned from my father that if you’re the best, you charge
more. I thought he was just bragging, but soon learned differently. The odd
thing I discovered was that it was almost an insult to the big spenders if
they weren’t overcharged.”

Hannah replied with a simple, “Oh,” but realized that Keith was
probably not as impoverished as she’d expected.
Angus had told her that he wasn’t married even though Eva had tried to
act as a matchmaker on several occasions without success.

“Angus told me that you aren’t married. Would you be uncomfortable if

I stayed with you?”
Keith smiled and replied, “Not at all. It’ll be pleasant to have someone to
talk to other than Smoke. You’re probably wondering why I never married.”
“Naturally.”
“It’s not a big mystery, really. I’m gone at least two weeks out of each
month, and during the summer, it’s usually the entire month except for a
few days to replenish my supplies. How could I marry and leave my wife at
home, especially if she’s about to have a baby?”

“Then why did Angus ask you to train him to be a guide?”

 “He needed the money and thought he’d do it for a while until he
married. But a year later, after he and Eva were married, she told him that
she didn’t mind because she’d be so happy to see him again when he
returned. I told him it was a bad idea, but he insisted.”

“So, I can stay with you until I’m better?”

“Yes, ma’am, but I probably won’t be there all the time. Even if I don’t
have any clients while you heal, I need to deal with your husband.”
“I’d still rather stay with you rather than living in town. I should be more
mobile in a week or so, but I’ll still feel guilty for being a burden. I’ll still
do what I can to pull my weight.”
“You won’t be pulling anything for a while, Hannah. And you won’t be a
burden, either. You’ll find that my place is close to self-sufficient. I have a
vegetable garden and fruit trees behind the cabin. When I hunt, I smoke
some of the meat and take the rest into town where I trade it for pork, beef
and chicken. All I really need to buy is staples like coffee, flour, salt and
spices. And ammunition, of course.”

“It sounds like a paradise.”

“A paradise that takes a lot of work, but it’s worth it.”

“I don’t suppose you have a bathtub; do you?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. My mother insisted that my father put one in
their bedroom, but most of the time I use the pond about a half a mile from
the cabin.”

Keith smiled and wasn’t surprised by her decision to stay with him.
Aside from the obvious necessity, he really did find it pleasant to talk to her,
even under the circumstances. He still didn’t know why her husband had
tried to kill her but wasn’t going to ask. They had at least two more days to
spend in the forest before they reached his cabin, and he was sure that she’d
tell him on her own volition.
 _____
An hour later, Keith had managed to slide Hannah into the tent. Before
he did, he’d created a small canvas trough, then slid it between her and the
bedroll before he’d given her some privacy to make use of the unusual
privy.
After she was in the tent and under a blanket, he slid his own bedroll
onto the ground nearby. Smoke was on guard duty against intruders and
wandering horses. The horses probably appreciated his presence, but Keith
wasn’t sure about Angus’ mule. He understood a mule’s advantages over
horses, but he was never fond of the beasts.

The fire was almost gone, so before he tried to get some sleep, he added
some heavy wet pine logs. They’d burn slowly and make a lot of smoke to
give any predators second thoughts about visiting.
He pulled off his slicker but still wore his heavy coat as he lay down on
his bedroll. As a precaution, after he’d pulled on his blanket, he covered
himself with the slicker. The bright moon and sky full of stars made it
unlikely that he’d be soaked before sunrise, but one didn’t take chances in
the Pacific Northwest. The tarp covering the long guns was within easy
reach just in case.
As he looked at the familiar stars overhead, he wondered if there were
two new ones for Angus and Eva.
“I hope you’re happy again,” he whispered, “I’ll deal with your
murderer, Angus. I just don’t know how I’ll do it, yet.”
 CHAPTER 3
Keith had the fire burning before he heard Hannah call out to him from
the tent.
He stepped to the tent’s flap, then said, “I’m going to pull you out now,
ma’am.”

“Alright. Please have the trough ready as soon as possible.”

Keith smiled as he replied, “Yes, ma’am’, then carefully slid the bedroll
and Hannah from the tent.
Once she was in the morning sun, he reached to his left grabbed the
trough and as Hannah used her right leg to lift her hips, he slid the canvas
beneath her.

He then quickly turned and walked back to the fire where he set the
coffeepot on the rocks near the flames. He then took out his skillet and
placed it on other rocks before just poking at the burning branches to give
Hannah more time.
She soon told him she was finished, so Keith left the fire and as Hannah
lifted her hips from the bedroll again, he slipped the canvas from beneath
her. He’d wash it later and would have to move the bedroll away from the
puddle at the bottom, but the rocks and gravel had accepted most of the
liquid.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“About the same. Can you look at my ankle now that there’s enough
light?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
 “Could you please stop calling me ma’am?”
Keith was unlacing her left boot as he replied, “I’ll try, but I won’t make
any promises.”
“I can live with that.”

Before he removed her boot, Keith said, “I’m going to check your knee
first, so I don’t make it worse when I take off your boot.”
“Alright.”

She was wearing britches, which helped. Keith watched her face as he
began to push on her knee with his thumb and fingers. She grimaced at
some of the pressure but didn’t react with others. He then slid his right hand
beneath her knee and slowly began to lift it while he continued to watch her
reaction.
She gasped but didn’t cry out as the knee flexed, which gave Keith some
measure of relief.
He set her knee back down and said, “I think you just sprained your
knee, so it should be okay in a few days. I’m going to take off your boot
now.”
“Okay.”

He unlaced her boot then continued to watch her face as he grasped her
boot’s heel and began to pull it free. She did cry out this time just before the
boot popped off her foot.
Keith set the boot down then peeled back the top of her sock to look at
the ankle joint. It was badly swollen with dark purple and yellow coloring.
He kept looking at her as he let his fingers trace down her lower leg’s long
bones to the ankle.

She didn’t complain as he did and even after he reached the swollen
ankle, he hadn’t felt any sharp ridges. He pulled her sock back up but left
the boot on the ground.
 “I’m sure that it’s not broken, but it is badly sprained. I can make you a
splint to keep it from moving, and I think the best way for me to create one
is to ruin your boot.”

“I don’t care about the boot right now. If you can keep it from hurting so
badly, then do anything you feel is necessary. Can you do anything about
my ribs?”
“Have you examined them for any cracks?”

“Yes, and I didn’t find any. But can you put a wrap around my chest to
act like a splint?”
“I could, but that’s a bad idea, Hannah.”

“Why? I thought that’s what you did for damaged ribs.”

“It’s what a lot of folks do, but it’s a bad idea. If there was a fracture that
you didn’t find, the wrap wouldn’t let it go anywhere but into your lung. It
would also keep you from breathing properly, so you might get pneumonia,
especially in this damp cool air.”

“Oh. Where did you learn all this?”

“I’ve had to deal with a lot of injuries over the years.”

“Have you broken any bones?”

“A few. I hurt my ribs more than a couple of times, too. I never broke
any, but I know it’ll be very painful for quite a while.”

“Will it be safe for me to ride?”

“I think so, but you won’t be able to stay in the saddle for very long.
We’ll be taking our time getting back, but I want you to tell me when it
becomes too painful to continue riding.”

“Trust me. I will.”

 Keith smiled, then stood and snatched up the canvas before saying, “I’ll
get breakfast going, then after we finish eating, I’ll start packing.”

Hannah nodded as he walked away. As she lay on her back she looked
up at the cliff and shuddered when she realized just how far she’d fallen.
Bruised ribs and a sprained knee and ankle were much less damage than she
should have suffered. She should have died just as Angus had. She wished
that there was some way to make Paul pay for his crime and wished that she
could be the one to administer the punishment.
_____

Paul had resumed his ride just after sunrise. The advantage of knowing
his direction finally was taking him out of the forest. But he wouldn’t exit
near Colville. He’d reach the open spaces about ten miles south of Colville
and would have another forty miles to ride before he reached his father’s
home in Spokane Falls.
He knew he had a long ride ahead of him but was determined to make it
back before sunset. He would tell his father that Hannah was dead and that
there were no witnesses, which should eliminate the disinheritance threat.
He was still debating about telling his father about Keith Stuart. He wasn’t
concerned about the law, but he was very worried about what Angus’
cousin would do when he discovered the cut rope.

_____
Keith was able to help Hannah into the saddle without as much difficulty
as he’d expected. She still cried out in pain when she swung her damaged
leg over the saddle, but his boot modification gave her some relief for her
damaged ankle. He had used his hatchet to split it into a laced tube of
leather and just a heel and sole. After tightly lacing the upper half to act as a
splint, he’d used some pigging strings to tie the heel and sole to her foot.

She was riding Angus’ horse, so he didn’t need to adjust the stirrups. If
anything, Hannah was slightly taller than Angus.
 He planned to follow the same path that he’d taken to reach the waterfall
for a couple of hours, then they’d cross the creek and shift more to the west.
It would add a few more miles to the ride, but he thought they’d still reach
his cabin tomorrow afternoon.

After they’d been riding for a few minutes, Keith asked, “How do you
feel, ma’am?”
“It’s Hannah, and I’ll admit that it’s uncomfortable. My ankle and ribs
are throbbing, and my knee isn’t happy either.”

“Let me know if it becomes unbearable. We’re going to stay on this side

of the creek for a while, then cross to the other side.”
“Alright.”

“I know that your husband thinks you’re dead, so you aren’t in danger.
But he’ll probably already figure out that I’ve discovered the cut rope and
know that he killed Angus. Is he the type of man to set up an ambush or
have others do it?”
“You’ll probably be surprised to know that I don’t understand him well
enough to be sure of what he’ll do. But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s more
likely that he’d find someone else to stop you from going to the law.”

“I’m sure that he knows that I wouldn’t be able to convince the sheriff to
arrest him. He might be worried that I’d try to kill him, though. And with
good cause, I might add.”
“Are you going to kill him?”

“Only if I can get him to threaten me, which is why I needed to know if
he’d try something himself or have others do it. I won’t drygulch him but if
he doesn’t have the guts to do it himself, I’ll need to find another way to
find justice for Angus.”
“I was taken by surprise when he pushed me, but I was shocked when he
cut Angus’ rope. I didn’t see it in him, so maybe I’m wrong. But even if I’m
right, I think his father is more likely to be the one to send someone to kill
you.”

“I don’t think that he’ll be able to do anything for at least four or five
days. Once we’re safely in my cabin, they can’t come close.”
“What happens after we get there?”

“You’ll rest until your injuries are healed. I’ll have to go into town to see
the sheriff and ask what to do about his house. Then I’ll buy more supplies
and anything else you may need. I assume all of your clothes are heading
back to Spokane Falls with your husband.”
Hannah nodded then said, “I know you told me that I won’t be a burden,
but I still need to feel useful.”
“Just having you there to keep me from spending too much time
conversing with Smoke will be pretty useful. Once you can move
reasonably well, and if we haven’t been bothered by anyone your husband
or his father may send, then I’ll ride down to Spokane Falls. If nothing else,
I want to find out what’s going on. Do you think he’ll get married right
away?”
“I’m sure he will. I think that was one of the reasons his father was so
angry that he’d married me. It seems that his father had different plans.
Why haven’t you asked me why he tried to kill me?”

“His motive doesn’t matter. He tried to kill you and did murder Angus. I
don’t care if he found you in bed with his father, there’s no excuse for what
he did. I don’t need to know why he did it. All that matters is that he did
and I’m not about to let him get away with it.”
Hannah looked across at Keith and almost forgot about her pains. She
found it difficult to believe that he honestly didn’t want to know why Paul
tried to kill her. She wasn’t sure that she knew what had driven her husband
to that extreme, only the reason for his sudden change in behavior two
weeks ago.
 “Honestly, I’m not sure why he tried to kill me. I know why he suddenly
didn’t seem to like me after just two weeks of marriage, but I didn’t think it
was that bad.”

As much as he didn’t care to know, Keith was now convinced that it was
necessary. He needed to understand what had pushed Paul Binder into
committing murder.
“Alright. I’m only asking so I can have a better idea of what kind of
threat I’ll be facing. I know a bit about the Binders, but not much. All I
know is that George Binder owns a big lumber company down in Spokane
Falls. I guess he’s the richest guy in town. I didn’t even know he had a son.”
“He has two sons. Paul and John. Paul is twenty-two and John is twenty-
one. They don’t get along very well and each of them is always trying to
impress their father. George Binder is one of those dominant, powerful men
who always gets his way and drives both of his sons to be like him.”
“How did you meet Paul?”

“As you probably guessed, I’m not a very sophisticated woman, so I

didn’t meet him at a fancy soiree. My father, Hiram, is a silversmith but
works in other metals as well. My mother died when I was young, and he
never remarried. Paul came into my father’s shop to buy a birthday gift for
his father, at least that was the excuse he used. He admitted later that he’d
seen me before and wanted to meet me. I was working at the counter and
my father was in his shop in the back room when he came into the shop.
Paul spent over an hour just talking to me before buying a statue of a horse.
He asked that it be engraved, but I know that he just wanted to return.
“When he returned three days later, he asked if he could visit me. I liked
him and I’m not ashamed to admit that I was impressed with his station. He
wasn’t shy about telling me about his well-paid position in his father’s
company and the fact that he was his heir as well. My father wasn’t happy
that I’d agreed to let him court me. He hadn’t been happy with me for many
reasons in the past, but this seemed to be the final straw. He told me that if I
married Paul, I wouldn’t be welcome in his house.
 “It wasn’t a difficult decision for me because I wanted to be out from
under my father’s control. It was a very short courtship, and I didn’t even
think it was odd that I hadn’t met his father or brother before we were
married at the county courthouse on August seventeenth. When he finally
introduced me to his father, I could tell that I was less welcome in their
home than I was in my own. Paul was shocked by his father’s reaction. He
thought that he was acting as his own man like his father wanted and that I
was too pretty for his father to object. He was wrong on both counts, but his
father seemed to settle down after a day or so.
“For two weeks everything seemed better and I thought it would be all
right. Suddenly, Paul began treating me as if I was a leper. He wasn’t
abusive or even angry. He was simply cold and distant. When he suggested
that we go on the search for a sasquatch, I was almost relieved that we
would have some private time away from his father. I thought it was an odd
thing to do, but I was very happy with the idea. I was disappointed when he
told me that I wasn’t going to have a gun, but that was all. When we left
Spokane Falls, I expected that his behavior would return to what it was
before, but it didn’t. By the time Angus led us into the forest, I was more
than just frustrated. I was angry. I’m sure that Angus realized it, too. I
talked more to him than I did to my husband.
“Did Paul kill Angus because he was jealous?”

She shook her head before she replied, “No. Paul never even mentioned
him when we shared the tent. He even said that he liked Angus, although
I’m not sure it was sincere.”
“He could always just claim that you were unfaithful and divorce you.
It’s a lot more civilized than trying to murder you.”

“I know and that’s one of the reasons why I didn’t suspect that he’d try
to hurt me. For most of that first night as I laid on the ground in pain, I
wondered why he had chosen to kill me rather than divorce me.”
Keith knew that there was no way to avoid the question, so he asked,
“You said you knew why he’d tried to kill you, but now you’re saying you
didn’t understand why he had pushed you off the cliff. Which is it?”
“You haven’t figured it out, yet?” she asked.
“How could I figure it out?”
“Obviously, Paul didn’t read the clues either. My father’s name is Hiram,
and my mother’s name was Rachel. Mine is Hannah. My grandfather
changed the family name to Smith when he arrived in America. It used to
be Goldschmidt. Does that help?”
“I’m not totally oblivious. I knew that you were probably Jewish, but
what has that got to do with Paul trying to kill you?”

Hannah laughed, then grimaced when her ribs reminded her that it
wasn’t a good idea.
“You are either a very naïve man, or a very tolerant one. My father was a
deeply religious man. When my mother died, I blamed God and my father
told me that it was God’s plan, and I should accept it. I became rebellious
and there were times when I almost ran off with other gentile boys or men
to spite him. I didn’t tell Paul that I was Jewish, and I should have. But my
father’s beliefs weren’t mine, so I didn’t think it mattered. I also convinced
myself that he probably already figured it out. But I wanted to be free of my
father and having a handsome, wealthy man ask for my hand was too good
to pass up.
“As soon as Paul began treating me coldly, I knew that his father had
discovered my heritage. He never said so, but I wasn’t about to tell him. I
even attended church with them in the hope that they’d accept me. I’m
ashamed of my behavior and was going to tell Paul when we returned. I
couldn’t return to my father’s house, so I had no idea what would become
of me, but I had to tell him regardless of the consequences. While I was
waiting for a bear or wolf to arrive that first night, I almost felt that God
was punishing me, but I still was determined to defend myself. I’m not a
good person.”
 Hannah stopped talking and just stared straight ahead.

After almost a minute of silence, Keith said, “You’re just human,

Hannah. We all have our faults and I believe that yours aren’t nearly as bad
as those of your husband or his father. May I ask which church you
attended?”
“I’m not even sure. All I know was that I felt very uncomfortable with
the minister.”
“Why?”
“He was a fire and brimstone preacher and claimed that only very few
souls would be accepted into heaven. Why did you ask about the church?”

“I was trying to imagine why Paul would try to kill you rather than
simply divorce you for a phony dalliance. Men like his father could arrange
for the divorce in a few days, and I agree with you that it didn’t make much
sense that Paul would go to that extreme. The preacher may have had a
significant influence on George, and he may have developed a deep mistrust
or even hatred of the Jews. It’s not uncommon and not limited to just the
Jews. It’s just a product of ignorance.
“Paul may have been avoiding having you meet his father until you were
married. He may have figured out you were a Jew but didn’t think that his
father would ever know. After all, your last name was Smith. If you hadn’t
told me that your mother’s name was Rachel, I might not have made the
connection. Even then, it was only a possibility.”

“I’m not exactly blonde-haired and blue-eyed, Keith.”

Keith grinned before he said, “No, ma’am. You are as far from blonde
and blue-eyed as possible. But you told me something else that made me
come up with a possible reason for what he did. You said that Paul was
pleased to tell you that he was his father’s heir and that he and his brother
didn’t get along.”
 “He was more than just pleased and the tension between the brothers was
constant.”
“What if his father threatened to disown him unless he got rid of you?
He might have wanted you completely erased from his family, so it wasn’t
possible for others to know you as a Binder.”
Hannah chewed on her lower lip as she contemplated what Keith said.
After a few seconds, she replied, “After we moved into his father’s big
house, I don’t think that I met anyone other than his father, John and the
household staff. I didn’t realize it until you mentioned it. That’s one of the
reasons I was so pleased to go on the expedition.”
“I imagine the thought that his brother would inherit, and he would be
left with nothing was an enormous incentive for Paul to do as his father
asked.”
“It would. I even remember a comment that John made before we left
about moving up to number one. I didn’t understand it at the time, but Paul
almost hit him.”
Keith nodded then said, “We’ll be crossing the creek soon. How are you
holding up?”

“Can we take a break before we cross? I imagine the horse will be

bouncing a lot more when we get into the water.”
“Not too much. I know of a good place to ford the creek, but we can take
a break.”

“It’s going to be very difficult for me to get down. When I mounted, it

was very painful when I swung my left leg over the saddle. It’s gotten even
stiffer now.”
“I already thought of that. I have another suggestion for you that might
help with your injuries, too.”

“Anything that could put a damper on my pain would be a godsend.”

 “Let’s get you out of the saddle first,” Keith said then began scanning the
trees to their left.

A minute later, he said, “We’re going to move away from the creek just a
bit.”
“Okay.”

Keith angled Friday toward the trees and Hannah shifted Angus’ horse to
stay beside him.
Just before they reached the first tall pine, Keith pulled up and
dismounted.

He let Friday’s reins drop, then removed Hannah’s saddlebags and

bedroll before he stepped in front of Hannah and took her reins.
“I’m going to lead you under the pine. When I’m under that branch, I’ll
stop again. You grab the branch and just hold on while I pull the horse out
from under you. Okay?”

“You’re not going to let me fall; are you?”

“No, ma’am.”

Hannah was wearing her gloves, so she wasn’t concerned about losing
her grip. She was worried about how much it would hurt when Keith had to
let her down from the overhanging branch.
Keith had been careful in his choice in height and thickness. After he
walked the horse beneath the branch, he waited until Hannah had a firm
grip.
“Ready?” he asked loudly.
“Ready.”
He walked the gelding slowly forward and watched Hannah’s face as she
left the back of the saddle. She gritted her teeth as she had to lift herself to
get over the saddle seat, but just seconds later, she was hanging from the
branch. The branch bent under her weight so her toes were just two feet
above the ground.

Keith quickly dropped the reins and stepped in front of the dangling
Hannah.
Mindful of her injured ribs, he gripped the shoulders of her coat and
said, “Okay, let go of your right hand and brace it on my shoulder.”

Hannah didn’t hesitate and quickly let go with her hand and grabbed
Keith’s shoulder.
Once he felt her firm grip, he said, “Okay. Let the other one go.”

When she released her left hand, she thought she was going to fall to the
ground but was relieved when she barely dropped at all.
Keith slowly lowered her to the ground and smiled.
“That wasn’t as bad as I expected,” she said.
“I’ll admit that I was a bit surprised it worked so well myself.”

He still had a firm grip on Hannah’s coat when she asked, “Can we make
my injuries better now?”
“Yes, ma’am…I mean Hannah. I’m not going to make you walk all the
way to the creek, though. I’m going to carry you, and I promise not to press
on your bad ribs. Okay?”
“Alright.”
Keith couldn’t lift her using her knees, so he put his left forearm behind
her thighs then took hold of her coat near her right shoulder before slowly
picking her up.
She wasn’t that heavy for a tall woman, but then, Keith didn’t have any
experience carrying tall women, or short ones either. He carried her out of
the trees and after just a minute, carefully sat her down on a boulder beside
the creek.
 He didn’t need to go back for the horses and the pack mule as Smoke
took care of that chore.
“I’m going to take off your boots and socks now. Then I’ll move you to
the creek so you can soak your ankle and bad knee in the cold water.”
“That sounds good to me.”
Keith dropped to his heels and after removing her normal boot and sock,
he began untying the bindings on her modified lower boot. After unlacing
her splint, he set it aside and then very gently removed her sock. The ankle
was swollen even more, and the discoloration extended well down her foot.
“That looks horrible!” she exclaimed when she saw the damage.
“It may look bad, but it’s healing. The water will make it numb and
should reduce the swelling a bit, but you might not see the change.”
“Numb is good.”
“Your britches are going to get wet.”
“No, they won’t,” Hannah replied before sliding both pants’ legs to the
middle of her thighs.

“I was going to ask, but I didn’t want to embarrass you.”

“You made a trough for me to pee on and you think you can embarrass
me?”
Keith shrugged then asked, “Are you ready to move again?”
“I am. But where is the bear carcass? I thought we would have seen it by
now.”

“I was looking for it as we rode along and didn’t see it or the rope. I
imagine that another bear or maybe some wolves dragged it out of the water
last night. That’s probably why we haven’t seen any big predators this
morning.”
 “I just didn’t want it to float next to me while my legs were in the water.”
Keith smiled then used the same method to lift her from the rock and
carried her to the edge of the creek. Once he had her positioned correctly, he
lowered her behind onto the smooth rocks.
She sighed when her twisted ankle and knee were immersed in the icy
water.
Keith quickly stepped out of the creek and had to remove his own boots
to dump out the water that had rushed in.
He left his boots on a rock to dry then stepped to the nearby horses in his
stockinged feet. He took a spare pair of socks from one of his packs and
stuffed them into his coat pocket.

They had only been riding for a couple of hours and it was still
midmorning, but he didn’t know how long it would be before they stopped
again, so he decided he’d bring her something to eat.
Hannah sat with her legs in the water and finally had time to think about
her future. Keith obviously didn’t object to having her live with him, but
she believed that he was the rarest of men; the type of man who would
respect her as a married woman. She didn’t even know how it would work
if Paul remarried. He would legally be a bigamist, but she believed that it
would invalidate his second marriage if she suddenly reappeared in
Spokane Falls.
Despite his healthy bank account, Keith Stuart was far from being as
wealthy as Paul, but she knew he was a much better man. If there was any
way to make it happen, she wished with all her heart that he would become
her husband, even if it wasn’t in the eyes of the law.
_____
Her husband had exited the forest and soon picked up the road to
Spokane Falls. He still had a long ride ahead of him but was determined to
get home before John could poison his father’s mind. It had been close after
his father had slammed him with the news that Hannah was Jewish.

Paul would soon tell his father that he had become a widower, then he’d
explain how he’d had to kill the guide. He’d embellish it into a more manly
murder with a face-to-face confrontation to impress his father. But he also
decided to tell him about meeting Keith Stuart. He was sure his father
would be the one to decide what to do about Stuart. But he suspected that
whatever it was, his father would expect him to take charge of the solution
to cut the loose end.
Paul had first believed that it was wiser to pretend that there was no
problem, but as he rode out of the forest that morning, he realized that
Stuart was a more dangerous issue than his father. If he offered to handle
the problem, it might be just the thing to cement his position as heir. He’d
probably marry his father’s choice for a wife when he finished with Stuart,
too. He wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.
_____
Hannah was back in the saddle and appreciated the effect the cold water
had on her ankle and knee. Keith had told her that it would start hurting
again before too long, but she reveled in the reduced pain level for now. She
wished she had slipped into the creek so it could help her injured ribs.
They crossed the creek a short time later without incident and Hannah’s
ribs didn’t hurt as badly as she’d expected.
Once they were on the opposite bank, she asked, “Have you been here
before?”
“A couple of times, but not in over a year. Most of the time, I take the
hunting parties east where there is more large game. Most of them want to
take down a big elk bull. Some of those big boys can weigh almost a
thousand pounds. They want to shoot grizzlies and gray wolves too. I don’t
mind the bears because the meat is very good and the fat is really useful,
but I don’t like them shooting the wolves unless they’re a menace.”
 “Why not?”

“I guess it’s because they’re just big wild dogs and remind me of Smoke.
I like wolves and I’ve never had to shoot one in all my years. I’ve scared
quite a few away with gunshots, but I’ve never hit one. You hit that black
bear twice. Are you that good with the pistol?”
“I was lucky. My hand was shaking because of my rib injury. I thought
he was going to get me when he charged. I was waiting until he was really
close when you fired.”
“She. It was a sow. You can keep the pistol. I cleaned it last night and
reloaded it. There’s no need for you to carry it now, but when I leave you
alone at the cabin, you should keep it with you. You can practice, too. Have
you fired a Winchester?”
“No. Just my father’s pistol.”
“I’ll show you how to use one when we reach the cabin, and your ribs
are feeling up to it.”
“Okay. You keep talking as if I’m going to live with you. Do you mean it
that way?”
“What way?”
“You know what I meant. I meant after I’m better. You said you didn’t
get married because you were gone so much of the time, but you apparently
don’t seem to mind that I’ll be staying with you. Do you expect me to be
just a cook and housemaid, or do you expect me to warm your bed?”
“I knew what you meant. But there’s simply no reason for you to
concern yourself about it for a while. Your knee and ankle will take at least
a couple of weeks to heal and your ribs will take even longer. When we get
back, I’ll make you a crutch and then I’ll be your nurse until you’re better.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that I was disturbed by the notion. In fact, I was
actually hoping that you would accept me as your woman, even if we
couldn’t marry. Does that shock you?”

“Not at all. I’m not a big believer in fate or divine intervention, but
circumstances have driven us together. All we can do is see what happens.
We have time, Hannah.”
“I hope so. I’m just concerned about what Paul or his father will do.”

“So, am I. But between you, me and Smoke, I don’t think we have

anything to worry about. After all, Paul believes that you’re dead already.”
Hannah nodded but still believed that there would be trouble. She knew
that as long as she stayed close to his cabin, she would be safe. But his
decision to go to Spokane Falls after she healed was unnerving.

_____
Keith had to help Hannah with a second unusual dismount two hours
later. After having lunch, they resumed their ride west, but Keith turned
them south by midafternoon.

They were riding alongside a different stream when Hannah pointed at a

pond about two hundred yards ahead and asked, “Are those beavers?”
“It’s a beaver pond, but I believe the ones swimming in the pond are
otters. I’ll be sure when we get closer.”

“I’ve never seen an otter before.”

“Beavers are workers and build things while otters are almost like
clowns and just have fun. Beavers build dams to create the pond and a place
to have their young. Inside the dam is their lodge that can only be accessed
from under the water. It keeps predators out while it keeps them warm. The
otters just show up to feed on the fish and other delicacies but probably
don’t thank the beavers. I imagine they visit the beavers’ home when
they’re in the mood, but I’ve never seen it. I can almost picture the beavers
lecturing the otters on their lack of industry.”
 Hannah laughed then grimaced again as they continued to approach the
beaver pond.
When they were close to the pond, Keith pulled up and said, “Those pair
over there are otters and you can see some of the beavers on the opposite
bank cutting branches off of the downed tree. They get along, but I really
like otters because they’re so carefree. Every time I see one, I smile. When
there’s snow, I’ve seen them sliding down the side of hills on their bellies
and then splashing into the water. Sometimes there’s ice and I swear I can
hear them giggling as they slide across the slippery surface before they hit
the cold water.”
“Did you slide down hills on your tummy when you were a boy?”
“I still do. I have an old slicker that I use as a slide.”
“Really?”

“Yes, ma’am. Most men are still boys inside and I’m glad that I am one
of them.”
“I don’t think that Paul or his father have any boy remaining inside.”
“I reckon not. How are you doing?”
“I’m all right, but I don’t think I’ll be able to keep going until sunset.”

“I hadn’t planned to keep riding that long. We’ll continue for another
hour or so, then I’ll set up camp. I’m going to modify your saddle so you
can ride side saddle. It’ll be more comfortable, and it’ll be easier to help
you on and off.”
“That would be nice. I thought I was going to slip from the branch the
last time.”
“You’ll have an easier ride tomorrow, but I’m still not going to push it.
There’s no rush. Even if Paul or his father decided to send someone to
Colville immediately, they couldn’t get here in less than three days unless
they learn to fly.”
 “I don’t believe they’ve figured out how to do that yet.”
“No, but it’s close. I’ll bet everyone will be flying all over the planet in a
hundred years.”
Hannah smiled as they started the horses moving again. Despite all of
her pain and almost having been murdered, she was surprisingly happy. She
hadn’t had this much pleasant conversation in years. She just hoped that it
would continue for years, not just weeks.
_____
Paul hadn’t taken any long breaks and had kept his horse and packhorse
moving at a good clip, so by late afternoon, he spotted the fringes of
Spokane Falls in the distance.
His father’s lumber operation was east of town and his estate was on the
west end. When the gold and silver rushes had caused Spokane Falls’
population to explode, his father had made his fortune on the things that
grew out of the earth rather than what had to be dug from it. The riches he’d
made from his logging and sawmill operations gave him enough capital to
add some of those mines to his holdings. Paul wasn’t about to let his brother
steal what was rightfully his.
But what he couldn’t have expected was that John had been using his
older brother’s absence to his advantage. After Paul and Hannah had gone,
he’d started by sharing jokes with his father about their marriage then after
the Sunday service that always put his father into a serious mood, began his
more intense campaign to ingratiate himself. He suggested that Paul
wouldn’t really kill his Jewish wife but would hide her somewhere and then
lie about it when he returned.
George knew how impressed Paul had been with the woman, and despite
her despicable heritage, he had to admit he could understand why he was
smitten. John’s suggestion was well-received and by the time they’d been
out of Spokane Falls for just three days, George was convinced that the long
ride to Colville and the expedition to look for a sasquatch was a ruse. He
could have just taken the woman into the forests near Spokane Falls and
shot her there.
John saved his clincher on the day before Paul left the forest when he
approached Karen Brown, who had been furious when she learned that Paul
had married someone else and asked if he could court her. Karen had
readily agreed out of spite if nothing else, and John told his father that he
would marry the woman that Paul had rejected.
George was enormously pleased with John and although he didn’t say
that he was going to disinherit Paul, he did tell him that he’d make a new
will and split his holdings between them. John thanked him but wasn’t
about to settle for half. He thought if he played his cards right before Paul
returned, when his father visited his lawyer, he’d leave Paul penniless.
_____
Hannah was resting on her bedroll watching Keith set up camp again.
Her welcomed numbness had long since faded away and her ankle was
throbbing again. Her knee wasn’t hurting as much, so that was something.
She was laying on her back which she found to be the least uncomfortable
position and Keith had made her a pillow.
Her life had made so many violent changes in direction over the past few
weeks. She thought she’d found a measure of freedom from her father’s
overbearing control when she married Paul Binder. For two weeks, despite
the tension she caused in his home, it seemed that she at least had found
contentment. Then came the next drastic change when his father probably
discovered that she was Jewish and may have threatened to disinherit her
husband. She still found it difficult to believe that even his controlling
father would order him to kill her. Whatever the reason, Paul had given her
that shove in the hope that she would die and then had killed Angus. If
Keith hadn’t come looking to bury his cousin, she would be dead, too.
Now she was still alive and would be living with him in his cabin. In a
few months, she’d be healthy again and hopefully still living with him. But
what would happen in those few months was still an unknown. Hannah
looked at Keith as he worked and hoped that he didn’t go to Spokane Falls.
She didn’t believe that Paul would come to Colville and if Keith stayed,
then maybe they could share a somewhat normal life. But she was
convinced that he wasn’t about to let Paul live a normal life after murdering
his cousin.
Keith had been working on the Paul problem almost constantly. Spokane
Falls was in a different county with their own sheriff and judge. When he
told Hannah that there was no point in going to the law, it was because of
that. He knew that if he went to Stevens County Sheriff Bill Sheffield in
Colville that he’d believe him but would tell him that there was nothing he
could do. Even if he could convince the county prosecutor to issue a
warrant for Paul Binder, it would have to be served by Spokane County
Sheriff Tom Gillis and that probably wouldn’t happen. The only way to
bring justice for Angus would be if he did it.
He was certain that he would be able to assassinate Paul without being
seen, but as much as he wished he could, he knew that he wouldn’t do it
that way. He also had other concerns that would take priority over Paul
Binder.

First, he needed to get Hannah safely to his cabin. Then he’d have to
visit the sheriff and tell him the truth about what had happened. He needed
to handle all of the legal issues like Angus’ house anyway, so he’d ask Bill
Sheffield’s opinion about what he could do.
But then there was Hannah. He’d have to care for her for at least two or
three weeks before she could move on her own. The cabin had one separate
bedroom, so she could have privacy and he’d take one of the beds from
Angus’ house and move it to the main room of the cabin.

Even before she’d told him that she wouldn’t object to being his woman,
even if they couldn’t marry, he had already been thinking along those lines.
She was a very attractive and determined young woman and he was hardly
a celibate monk. He had liked her almost from the very start and nothing
she’d said or done since then had changed his opinion of her. In fact, the
more time he spent with her, the more impressed he’d become.

He was hardly a hermit, but freely admitted that he had avoided

spending too much time in town. Clients always sought him out because of
his reputation but he’d have to turn down a few of them while he cared for
Hannah and figured out a way to make Paul pay for his crimes.
_____

Paul was anxious and still undecided as he rode down the drive to his
father’s house in the setting sun. He had expected that his brother would try
to use his absence to his advantage but believed that John probably believed
that he wouldn’t go through with the murder. He figured that anything John
could have said or done would be nullified when he told his father that
Hannah was no longer a problem. He couldn’t have suspected that his
younger brother had already set the stage for that announcement to create
more problems, not eliminate them.
He rode into the stables and slowly dismounted. He was sore and hungry
but handed his reins to the groomsman and walked out of the stables to talk
to his father.
After he entered the foyer, he was hanging his hat on the coatrack when
he heard a woman giggle. He froze when he recognized who was visiting
then hung his jacket and ran his hands through his light brown hair.
He took a breath and then confidently strode into the parlor. He was
momentarily stunned when he saw Karen and John sitting together on the
settee. They and his father were all looking at him and Paul’s planned
announcement was put on hold. He couldn’t admit to murdering his wife in
front of Karen.
Why was she with John, anyway?
“Back so soon?” his father asked.
“Yes, sir. May I speak to you in your office?”
 George nodded, then stood and said, “I’ll be back shortly, John. You and
Karen behave yourselves while I’m gone.”

John grinned as he replied, “I’m not making any promises, Father.”

George snickered then strode past Paul and headed for the office door.
Paul glanced at his younger brother before he followed his father. His
stomach was in free fall after he realized what John had done while he was
gone. Now it was just a question of how much influence he’d had on their
father.
After closing the door behind him, Paul took a seat in one of the two
chairs in front of his father’s desk.
“Well?” his father asked.
Paul tried to regain some of the confidence he’d built before he entered
the house before he replied, “Hannah is dead, Father. I made it look like an
accident, too.”
George leaned back and said, “I thought you were going to accidentally
shoot her. Then you could bring her body back and that would be the end of
it.”
“Yes, sir, I know. But this seemed to be a much better plan. You see, we
arrived at this waterfall that went over a hundred-foot drop. I thought if I
talked her into look over the edge and gave her a shove, then it would work
even better than a hunting accident.”
“Did you return with her body?”
“Um, no, sir. My idea was that I’d explain the accident to our guide, and
he’d be a witness so I wouldn’t have to return with her body. But he decided
to tie all of our ropes together and climb down the cliff to see if she’d
survived.”
“Couldn’t you see her body at the bottom?”
 “No, sir. She fell into some pine trees, so we couldn’t see her.”
“So, did the guide find her body?”
Paul closed his eyes for a few seconds. This was getting much worse
than he could have expected. It was more like an inquisition.
“I couldn’t let him find her body, Father. I tried to get him to change his
mind, but he was adamant.”
“Why couldn’t you let him find the body? Were you concerned that she
might be alive?”
“I thought she might stay alive long enough to tell him that I’d pushed
her. I had to act quickly, so I used his hatchet and cut the rope. He fell
straight down into the rocks. I’m sure that he died, and I’m convinced that
Hannah is dead by now even if she did survive the fall.”
“Oh, now you’re sure that she’s dead; are you? Well, that’s not good
enough. What if someone starts searching for the missing guide? Did you
even think about that?”

Paul wanted to keep his meeting with Keith Stuart secret, but his father’s
piercing blue eyes made it impossible.
“I…I met his cousin when I was riding back. He’s a guide too, and said
he was going to find his cousin’s body.”

George exclaimed, “
You let him go? Are you stupid?
”
“No…no. I told him what happened, and he believed it was an accident.
He’ll probably just look over the cliff and see his cousin’s body if it hasn’t
already been dragged off. He won’t be able to get down there because he
didn’t have enough rope and all of ours is at the bottom.”
George exhaled sharply before he asked, “Don’t you think he’ll know
what happened when he sees all of that rope down there? You made a real
mess of this, Paul, and now it’s up to you to clean it up.”
 “Sir?”

“You heard me. You have to make sure that we never hear a whisper of
what happened in that forest. And you’d better do it quickly. I’m going to
see my lawyer soon and change my will. I was going to give you and John
an equal share, but if you don’t fix this disaster you created, then you’re out
of my will altogether.”
“But…”
“No buts, Paul! You need to be out of Spokane Falls within a day and
you’d better do it right this time. I’d suggest you see the Martin brothers.
They’re better at things like this than you are.”
Paul nodded as his father stood and shook his head before leaving the
office. He closed the door behind him leaving his older son alone in the
dark room.
Paul was shaken by his father’s reaction and order. He’d see Al and
Frank Martin tomorrow morning. They were lumbermen who worked for
his father, but their seedy past had driven them out of Portland and his
father used them for any shady work. This was right up their alley. Paul
knew that he would just be there almost as a witness, but he suspected that
his father would be expecting him to pay them.
He stayed sitting in the dark room for another twenty minutes, listening
to the echoes of Karen and John’s laughter as he tried to think of how he
could get rid of Keith Stuart without any witnesses.

_____
“I thought the stew was good, Keith. This is even better,” Hannah said
before she ripped a piece of meat from its bone.

“I thought you’d prefer some fresh meat. If I wasn’t worried about

attracting big scavengers, I could have cooked you some venison.”
 “I doubt if it would be better than this rabbit. I have to admit I was
impressed that you could hit him with your bow and arrow at that range.”

“It wasn’t that difficult. I used the bow because any of my bullets would
have probably done a lot more damage.”
“I’m still impressed. You shot the bear from sixty yards with your
Winchester and still killed it. I thought that you needed a bigger rifle to kill
a bear that size.”

“Well, now you’ve impressed me, Hannah. I’ve had hunters arrive and
expect to be able to put down a grizzly with a Winchester ’73. I use the ’76
model and even reload the cartridges with a little more powder for extra
power. I do the same for my other weapons as well and gave Angus some of
the cartridges.”
“Maybe that’s why I was able to stop the bear, at least for a little while.”

“My Winchester probably only stopped her because she was already
weakened by your first shot. I didn’t have time to take my Sharps-Borshadt
from Wednesday. That beast can put down a big grizzly at a hundred
yards.”
“Do you do much hunting when you aren’t leading hunting parties into
the forests?”

“I do what I need to keep my meat supplies at a decent level. I don’t

have to go far as there are always deer and a few elk and bears on my
property. I even can catch trout in one of the streams.”
“You said you had a pond near your cabin. Was it built by beavers?”

Keith laughed then replied, “No, ma’am. It was just there before my
father built the place. It’s also near enough to serve as a sort of cold room. I
use it to store cans of milk.”
“But you still bathe in it?”
“Until it gets really cold.”
 Hannah nodded then tossed her clean bone away before licking her
fingers.

“Do you think we will reach your cabin tomorrow?”

“We’ll probably arrive in late afternoon unless your injuries get worse.
You seemed to be doing better today, but I’m not sure if you’re just masking
the pain.”

“I’ll admit that I’m trying not to slow us down. I want to get off the
horse as soon as I can. Do you think your modified saddle will help?”
“I’m sure it will, but I still want you to tell me when it gets bad. I don’t
want to exacerbate your injuries by keeping you in the saddle too long.”
“I won’t let them get worse. The short time that I let my legs sit in the
creek really helped. I’ll be all right.”
Keith nodded and began to recalculate the amount of time that they still
needed to reach his cabin. Even though he’d been taking it slowly because
of Hannah’s injuries, he knew that he was still closer to the cabin than he’d
originally expected. He may have believed that Paul or his father might not
bother with him, he still needed to take precautions. The first would be to
get to his cabin.
His Hannah saddle modification wasn’t really difficult. Hannah’s hips
were too wide to allow her to sit sidesaddle, so he’d just added some
cushioning with spare clothing and then tied it down with pigging strings.
She’d still rock as the gelding walked, but she could dangle her injured left
leg and keep her right foot in the stirrup for support if she needed it.
After sliding her into his small tent for the night, he stretched out on his
bedroll to think about the potential problems with the Binders. If he hadn’t
talked to Paul, then he doubted if they’d even know he existed. But now he
represented a danger and he hoped that they’d still feel invulnerable down
in Spokane Falls and leave him alone. At least until he showed up in their
domain.
 _____
Paul hadn’t returned to the parlor even after Karen had gone. He knew
that John would be gloating and couldn’t wait to taunt him. He’d gone to
the kitchen and taken some food to his room where he ate in silence.
He knew that he couldn’t show his face in Colville again without being
recognized. He had been embarrassed when some of the men saw him in his
hunting clothes and snickered. This time, he’d dress more like the guide,
but still couldn’t risk going into town. His father may have ordered him to
see the Martin brothers, but Paul was already developing his own plan. He
would have them enlist a few other lumbermen and they’d go to Colville
where they’d hire Stuart to lead them into the deep forests. He’d have to
stay out of sight, but once the guide was dead, he’d be able to return and
shove that fact into John’s smirking face. It was a good plan.

The gaping hole in his plan that he didn’t have the tiniest belief that
Hannah had survived the fall. Even his father believed that she was dead.
The only ones who knew she was hurting but very much alive were just
twelve miles from Keith Stuart’s cabin. Another critical lack of knowledge
was that Paul had never seen Smoke.
 CHAPTER 4
“This isn’t bad at all,” Hannah said as she sat sideways on her saddle.
“Do you want me to tie you to the saddle horn so you can’t fall?” Keith
asked as he looked up at her.

“Not yet. I’ll let you know after we start moving. I think I’ll be able keep
my balance. You cushioned it, but the back of the saddle seat and the saddle
horn still keep me from moving too much.”

“That’s what I was trying to create when I added the padding.”

Keith mounted Friday and smiled at her before they started moving
southwest. He watched her for a few minutes to make sure she was stable
and was relieved when Hannah seemed to be riding well. He thought that
he’d have to take her reins, but she was able to handle the gelding even
though it must have been difficult as she could only turn her head which
would put strain on her neck.
Hannah had been reasonably comfortable when they started but knew
that she couldn’t keep her neck twisted like this for very long. So, she
decided to let the horse decide where they’d go. She was sure that he wasn’t
going to go off on his own.
The last few miles wouldn’t require Keith to use his skills as a
woodsman or tracker. The stream that flowed alongside them eventually
reached his property’s northern border. It turned west shortly after that, but
he’d used this route more times than any other when he’d entered the
forests on his own. He never led hunting parties along this path as he didn’t
want other guides to think of it as a starting point.

_____
 Paul had left the house early that morning and ridden to his father’s
sawmill. The Martin brothers worked at the sawmill as foremen, but still
dressed as the lumberjacks they’d been for the first two years after they had
arrived.

He was dressed in the crudest clothes that he owned when he

dismounted, but he still stood out from the other men. He didn’t care as he
entered the loud sawmill and needed to find Al and Frank Martin. They
weren’t physically large men, but they were hard and intimidating. He
hadn’t had many dealings with them but was counting on his position as the
owner’s son to keep them in line. He was technically their boss as well, but
rarely visited the sawmill. He had appointed Jack Folcroft as the sawmill’s
supervisor and let him handle any problems.
He spotted Jack in his office and thought about asking him to find the
brothers, but then decided that he didn’t want him to get involved and
continued into the large building. Some of the cutting was done outside and
only the creation of finished boards was done inside. They also used the
building to dry the boards as it was almost impossible to let them lose their
moisture outside.
He finally saw Al talking to a much larger man near one of the three
giant circular saws and headed that way.
When Al noticed him, he dismissed the worker then stepped toward
Paul. He was curious why the boss’ son would be looking for him.

Paul stopped and said, “I need to talk to you and your brother, Al. Is he
around?”
“Sure. What do you need?”

“I have a special job for you both and I’ll need another two men you can
trust. It’ll take you out of the county for a few days, but there’ll be a nice
bonus for you when it’s done.”
Al grinned and asked, “How nice of a bonus?”
 Paul had no idea how much Al expected to be paid for a murder but
knew how much he could afford. If he had to pay four men, he could give
each of them a hundred dollars but suspected that Al and Frank would
demand more.

“How does two hundred apiece for you and Frank sound? I’ll pay the
other two men a hundred each.”
Al was happily surprised, but replied, “Make it two-fifty for me and my
brother. Whatever you want to pay the other guys doesn’t matter.”

Paul nodded then said, “Alright. I’ll need you to get the other two and
meet me tomorrow morning at end of Columbia Avenue. I’ll be bringing a
packhorse, so you’ll just need to bring your horses and guns.”
“I figured as much. Who do you want us to kill?”
Paul was stunned by the calm manner in which he’d asked, but quickly
replied, “I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
Al shrugged, smacked Paul on the shoulder as if he was a regular
worker, then turned and walked away.

Paul let out a breath before he headed for the big doorway. He may have
offered them more money than he’d expected, but at least they didn’t seem
to care about killing the guide. He’d go to the bank to make the sizeable
withdrawal later. He’d have to give them clear instructions about how to act
when they met with Stuart, but once they got the guide into the forest, he
didn’t care which method they used to kill him.
_____

Keith had been surprised that Hannah hadn’t asked for a break yet. He’d
noticed that she wasn’t looking forward very much. It was hard to miss as
she rode to his left and her big brown eyes were almost always focused on
him as they talked.
 The conversations had been mostly about his life as a guide but included
Angus as well.

“What was Eva like?” she asked.

“She was a small woman. She was barely five feet tall and weighed less
than a hundred pounds. I never lifted her to find out, of course, but she was
pretty tiny. It was why Angus was so worried about her.”

“He said that you had offered to guide us but let him have the money.
Why didn’t he accept your offer?”
“I reckon it was a matter of pride. He normally made twenty dollars a
day when he led hunting parties. When Paul offered him twenty-five, he felt
as if he had to earn it. I never thought of it as a competition between us, but
I think Angus just wanted to prove he could do as well as I did. If he let me
go, then it would defeat the purpose. Of course, it’s all speculation on my
part, but I knew Angus better than anyone.”

“How far from Colville is your cabin?”

“About a mile and a half. It takes about fifteen minutes to get there, so
it’s just about perfect. I have my privacy and if I need to get more supplies,
I can do it in less than an hour.”

“How big is your cabin?”

“My father and Angus’ father built it larger than most. It’s about twenty
feet deep and across the front, it’s about sixty feet. I put in a small porch in
front a couple of years ago because I was tracking in too much mud. I only
added the vegetable garden two years ago, but the fruit trees were planted
by my father.”

“What kind of fruit trees?”

“Apple and cherry. He tried pear trees, but they didn’t do well.”

“Do you make cider?”

 “Of course. I even bake apple and cherry pies and other sweet treats.”

“Really? I don’t believe I’ve ever met a man who can cook and bake. At
least not one who didn’t do it for a living.”
“When you live alone, you learn a lot of those skills.”

“I can cook but never did bake a pie. You’ll have to show me.”
Keith grinned as he replied, “I’ll be happy to show you all of my tricks,
Hannah.”

Hannah smiled back. Keith Stuart was now the focus of her life, and she
totally forgot about Paul or his father.
_____

George stared at Paul and said, “You’re paying four men to come with
you? Why?”
“I think the best way to handle Stuart is to make him believe that he’s
guiding a hunting party. Once he’s out of sight, we can kill him then just
return.”

“You’ll have to take him more than a few miles into that forest. Then
you need to bury him and take his animals with you. Make him just
disappear. No one will even know he’s gone for a few weeks and then
they’ll just think that he was attacked by wolves or a grizzly.”
Paul nodded. He was enormously relieved that his father had seemed to
have accepted his plan and even half of his father’s estate seemed within his
grasp. He was certain that John would get half now anyway after he
announced his engagement to Karen Brown. He also suspected that even if
he was successful in eliminating Stuart, John would use this absence to try
to take it all. He’d have to get this done quickly.

_____
 Keith and Hannah had just stopped for lunch. Keith was able to slide
Hannah down from her new perch much more easily than the branch-
hanging method.

As he lowered her to the ground, they found themselves just inches apart
and after just a moment, each of them understood that they were now bound
together by more than just circumstances. It hadn’t lasted long, but it was a
profound revelation.
“I’ll get you something to eat,” Keith said softly as he continued to hold
Hannah.

“Thank you,” she whispered, then said, “I need some privacy, too.”
Keith nodded as he continued to look into her dark brown eyes, then
slowly released her and sidestepped to give her room.

She continued to share his gaze until she knew she had to move. As soon
as she began to hobble away, Keith turned and walked back to Wednesday.
He opened the flap to one of the food panniers and began rummaging. He
really didn’t need to spend much time looking but wasn’t about to look
back.
When he found his jar of apple butter, he pulled it out of the pack then
took out his pouch of biscuits. He still waited until Hannah said she was
done, then turned and walked away from Wednesday.

She had found a fallen pine to act as a seat, so Keith sat down next to her
and handed her a table knife.
“What did you bring us for lunch? It doesn’t look like smoked venison.”

“It’s apple butter. I’ll let you splash some on some biscuits. We don’t
have much further to go, so we don’t need a big lunch. We should see my
cabin in another three hours or so.”
“Apple butter? Did you make it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered before he handed her the pouch of biscuits.

 As she pulled the first biscuit apart, he opened the jar of apple butter and
let her dip the knife into the sweet creation. He watched her take her first
bite and then smiled when she sighed.

“This is marvelous. It almost makes me forget about my injuries.”

“Then I’m glad that I thought about it.”

They shared more biscuits and apple butter before he gave her his
canteen. He wished that he’d brought some of his cider, but wasn’t sure
which barrel was the hard cider, so maybe it was wiser that he hadn’t.
After putting the jar and pouch away, he helped Hannah to the horse and
had another of those moments before lifting her into the saddle.

She took the reins and smiled as he mounted Friday. Neither said
anything before they started the last part of their journey.
_____
Paul spent most of the afternoon preparing for tomorrow’s ride to
Colville. It would take most of the day, so he planned to set up a camp in
the forest just outside of the town and then let his four accomplices hire
Stuart to take them hunting.
He’d explain everything on the ride north, so they wouldn’t think of him
as a coward by not coming with them to meet Stuart. He’d let them know
that he’d already murdered twice and was just as vicious as any of them.
He’d use his already rehearsed and embellished story of how he’d killed the
guide. He wouldn’t earn their respect if he told them that he’d just shoved
his wife to her death then cut the rope suspending the man who was going
to help her. His new version was much more dangerous.

He wouldn’t use the well-bred horses that his father had in the stables.
He’d already borrowed more commonplace animals from the large herd that
were used at the timber operation. It was the same place where the Martin
brothers and the other two men would get their horses.
 He’d wear a pistol this time, too. He doubted that he’d have to even fire
it or his Winchester, but he had to make the others accept him as a hardened
man. A man who had already killed twice.
_____
Keith and Hannah exited the forest and she immediately spotted the
roofline of his cabin in the distance.
“Is that your cabin already?” she asked excitedly as she pointed.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m just happy that there’s no smoke coming out of the
chimney. I’ve had folks show up when I was gone sometimes and make
themselves at home until I returned.”
“Squatters decide to live there?”
“No. They were hunting parties who wanted to hire me and figured
they’d wait in comfort rather than return to Colville. I didn’t get mad or
anything, but I’m glad that nobody’s there this time.”

While that was true, Keith had been somewhat concerned that Paul
hadn’t returned to Spokane Falls, but had gone to Colville, found where he
lived and then waited for him to enter his cabin. He didn’t see any horses in
the corral either, but one could be in his small barn. It didn’t reach the level
of worry because Smoke would let him know if anyone was inside before
he opened the door.
Hannah tried to keep her eyes trained on the cabin that she would soon
call home, but she still scanned the rest of the property. She saw a herd of
white-tailed deer in the distance just peacefully grazing. There were two
large bucks in the group, and she imagined that there were many other wild
creatures that called the place home.

When she twisted her neck to look ahead again, she said, “It doesn’t look
like a cabin. I thought it was made out of logs.”
 “That was my father’s original plan, but he and Angus’ father asked the
army if they could take some of the boards and other leftovers from Fort
Colville. So, they were able to build it a lot easier and bigger than they
would if they’d used logs. They still called it a cabin, though.”

“The trees are a lot closer than I expected.”

“They used to be further away, but the forest is encroaching more each
year. I ride out here every once and a while and pull out the young pines.”
The closer they got to the cabin, the more impressed she became. She
saw the pond first, then the apple and cherry trees.
Smoke was already getting antsy as they neared the cabin. It wasn’t
because he was homesick, but every time he and his human friend returned
to the cabin, he’d be given a large piece of smoked meat that would take
him almost twenty minutes to devour. He wasn’t sure about the female who
was riding with him yet but expected that she would soon be leaving as
most of the others did.
They soon pulled up before the cabin and Keith dismounted. He walked
to Angus’ gelding and lifted Hannah from her modified saddle. This time it
wasn’t just a few seconds that they stood facing each other after he’d set her
to the ground before him.
Hannah and Keith stayed inches apart for more than a minute without
saying a word as they shared a lot more information with their eyes.
Since the shared revelation after the last dismount, Keith had wondered
if Hannah had felt the same almost mystical attraction. He was unsure what
had driven his sudden realization of desire. It could have been created by
his restrained lust or even loneliness. She could have been feeling gratitude
or hope. But this time, after those intense sixty seconds, he realized that he
wanted Hannah to never leave. And he also understood that she felt the
same way.
“I’ll help you inside then take care of the horses,” he said softly.
 After a short pause, Hannah whispered, “Alright,” yet they still didn’t
move.
It was only when Smoke demanded his large portion of smoked meat by
hopping up and slamming his big paws on Keith’s back that the spell was
broken.
His unexpected assault shoved Keith into Hannah and he had to wrap his
arms around her to keep her from falling back into the horse. She grunted
when his arms pressed against her damaged ribcage.

Keith quickly stepped back and said, “I’m sorry, Hannah. Smoke is
reminding me that he wants his return gift. So, let’s get you inside and then
I’ll take care of the critters, including my canine friend.”
“It’s all right. I forgot about my ribs until he pushed you into me.”

Keith carefully helped her onto the low porch and then opened the door.
She hobbled inside and was struck by how much like a home it was. She
appreciated the furnishings and noticed the door to the lone bedroom.

He helped her to the only inner door and after swinging it open, she
spotted the much-needed bathtub and a surprisingly large bed. If she wasn’t
in so much pain, she wished she wouldn’t be sleeping alone.
Keith assisted her to the bed and let her sit down.

“This is a very nice cabin, Keith. I think it deserves to be called a

house.”
“Feel free, ma’am. Do you need anything for the next twenty minutes?”

“No. I’ll be fine. Could I talk you into drawing a bath for me later?”
“I was going to offer. I don’t have any ladies’ soaps, I’m afraid. All I
have is plain white soap.”
“I’ve never used any scented soaps, not even when I was living with the
Binders.”
 “I have a hand mirror in the top drawer of the dresser if you want to
check the bruising on your ribs. There’s also a hairbrush that you can use.
They were my mother’s and I never wanted to just toss them away.”

“That’s wonderful. I think you need to take care of Smoke before he

does more than jump on you.”
Keith grinned as he nodded, then turned and left the room.
Hannah slowly scanned the bedroom and knew that she belonged here.
This was much more like the home she had envisioned than the luxurious
Binder house or the smaller house she shared with Paul.
She looked at the quilt and slid her fingertips across its cotton surface.
She hoped that she could have Keith join her soon, but first, she needed to
heal.

Keith had given Smoke his due and then led the three horses and the
mule into the barn to be unsaddled. It took longer than twenty minutes
because of Angus’ supplies. When he found Angus’ modified hatchet, he
noticed the chipped blade and his anger returned in a rush. He should use it
to punish Paul Binder, but then thought it would be almost sacrilegious.
He’d sharpen it and keep it with him whenever he led a party into the
wilderness.
As he unsaddled Friday, he began setting his schedule for tomorrow.
He’d visit Sheriff Sheffield and talk to him about what had happened to
Hannah and Angus. He’d show him the only physical evidence back with
him: the cut rope and the hatchet. But he was pretty sure that Bill would tell
him that even with Hannah’s testimony, it was unlikely that the county
prosecutor would issue a warrant. George Binder’s wealth and power
combined with having to deal with another county would make it almost
impossible.

After his visit with the sheriff, he’d do some shopping for Hannah then
return to the cabin. He expected that he’d be getting visitors from Spokane
Falls sometime in the next few days or not at all. He’d rather that they
stayed away until Hannah was mobile, but if they showed up, then he’d
have to be ready. He didn’t believe that they’d come during the day, but if
they tried to sneak onto his property at night, they’d be welcomed by a
vigilant and unhappy Smoke.

He finished unsaddling the horses and the mule then moved them to the
corral. He had a storage room in the barn for his standard packs and his
long guns. It’s where he did his reloading and gun cleaning as well. He had
Angus’ Sharps and Winchester now, so he’d have to add a couple of more
sets of pegs. But until he did, he left his cousin’s rifles on his reloading
table.
When he left the barn, his only weapon was the Colt he had strapped on
his waist. He lugged one pannier of food over his left shoulder and Angus’
clothing pack over his right as he headed for the porch. When his and
Angus’ father had built the cabin, they’d only put in one door which made it
easier to defend if it became necessary. They’d also put in a strong bar
locking system which he’d never used, but now he planned to start putting
it in place each night until the situation with Paul Binder was resolved.
He entered the cabin and headed for the kitchen area where he set down
the panniers. He quickly emptied the food contents and once the pack was
empty, he set it aside then picked up the clothing pack and headed for the
bedroom.
As he passed through the open doorway, he stopped and smiled when he
found Hannah sound asleep. She looked so peaceful that he just quietly set
the clothing pannier down then turned and left the room before softly closed
the door.
He started a fire in the small cookstove and then began pumping water
into his two large pots. He wouldn’t be able to make her a hot bath, but it
would be warm. Depending on how long she slept, he could heat up enough
water to make it close to hot.
He filled the coffeepot and set it on one of the back hotplates before
returning to the pantry. After selecting the ingredients for their supper, he
set them on the shelf near the cookstove then walked to the sink. He
probably wouldn’t have time to take his own bath in the pond today, but he
really needed to clean off the heavy growth of beard that he’d accumulated
since he left town. The longer he delayed shaving, the worse it would be.

Keith didn’t wait for the hot water, but soon had his face covered in thick
suds. He took his time removing the stubborn stubble because he didn’t
want to turn his face into a river of blood.
When he finished, he rinsed his clean face and decided he’d wash his
torso at least, so he removed his gunbelt and set it on the nearby kitchen
table.

He glanced back at the closed bedroom door and figured he was safe, so
after filling the sink with water, he removed his shirt and pulled off his
boots and socks. He soaped up a dishcloth and began wiping the
accumulated dirt and sweat from his upper body. He then took another
glance at the bedroom door before dropping his britches and underpants
then quickly scrubbed his lower half. He didn’t bother rinsing or even
drying before he yanked his bottom covering back up. He did wipe his
upper body with a dry towel before putting his shirt back on. He felt better
but would still take a real bath when he could.
Keith wished he could make a seriously good dinner for Hannah, but
he’d make do what he had today. When he was in town tomorrow, he’d visit
Sid’s butcher shop and buy something special.
He had already poured two pots of boiling water into buckets and the
second set was close to boiling when he decided it was time to wake
Hannah.
When he slowly swung the bedroom door open, he found Hannah
already looking at him.

“I’m sorry that I fell asleep.”

 As he stepped closer, he replied, “You needed to rest. I’m cooking
supper, but I already have water ready for your bath. Which would you
prefer?”
“Would you mind if I took my bath first?”
“No, ma’am. Can you handle getting into the bathtub?”
“I think so. It’s only a few feet away.”
“If you’d like to change into clean clothes, I left Angus’ spares near the
tub. He was about your size, so they should fit.”

Hannah glanced at the pannier and although getting out of her dirty
clothes was necessary, she wasn’t sure about wearing something that Angus
had worn.
Keith could see her concern, so he said, “I’m sure that Angus would be
very happy that you were wearing his clothes. He’s probably having to keep
Eva from getting jealous right now.”
Hannah had to avoid laughing, so she just smiled and said, “Thank you,
Keith.”
“Let me get the tub filled. If you need any help, just call me.”
“Thank you again.”
Keith nodded then turned and left the bedroom to start bringing in the
hot water. He hoped that she didn’t fall or what would be even worse, have
problems getting out of the tub.

After filling the tub and setting towels and soap on the nearby shelf,
Keith left the bedroom and closed the door.
Once he was back in the kitchen area, he poured himself a cup of coffee
and took a seat at the table.

If Paul didn’t worry about him and stayed in Spokane Falls, then there
would be time for him to come up with some way to deal with his cousin’s
killer. It was the better of the two possibilities, but he had to plan for the
other. The question was what the most likely method Paul would use to try
to eliminate him.
Hannah had said that Angus had talked about him on the way to the
waterfall. When Hannah was finished with her bath, he’d ask her what
Angus had told them. If Paul already knew that he lived alone in a cabin
northwest of town, he wouldn’t need to stop in Colville to ask anyone. He
might even know about Smoke. If Angus hadn’t mentioned the cabin’s
location or Smoke, then that was an advantage.
Another issue was who might be coming. Paul’s attempted murder of
Hannah and his successful murder of Angus had both been sneaky and
cowardly, so Keith couldn’t see the man showing up and confronting him.
He’d send surrogates to do the killing. But the assassins would have to
cross a lot of open space to make it to the cabin, so they’d probably wait
until he was in town.
But even as he pictured it, the idea of being bushwhacked in Colville
didn’t seem plausible. They’d want to kill him and make a clean getaway.
That meant that they’d either try to kill him while he slept in the cabin or
hope to catch him outside and unaware of their presence. The trees may
have been sneaking closer to the cabin, but they were still a good mile
away. There were a few good ambush sites on his land, but none that could
hide a horse.
Keith finished his coffee but didn’t get a refill. He just couldn’t imagine
how Paul would be able to kill him.
Hannah had finished the cleaning part of her bath and was enjoying the
water’s warmth for as long as she could. Her ankle and foot were hideous,
and she thought the swelling hadn’t gone down. Her knee was definitely
feeling better, but she was anxious to use the mirror to look at her ribs. The
pain started near the front of her chest but was most intense on the right side
where she couldn’t see.
 Getting into the tub wasn’t as difficult as she had expected, but she was
worried that she might slip when she tried to get out. She took one of the
towels from the shelf and carefully dried her hands before taking hold of the
tub’s edge and pulling herself up.
She soon stepped onto the floor and sighed in relief.
Before she dried herself, she took the hand mirror and looked at the
reflection of her damaged ribcage. It wasn’t as discolored as her ankle, but
it still had quite a bit of bruising. She ran her fingers over the injury and
pressed as hard as she dared. She winced when she found the tenderest
point, but she didn’t believe it was as bad as she had feared. Maybe she’d
become useful sooner than she had anticipated.
Getting dressed wasn’t that bad either as long as she didn’t put on her
boot splint but did pull on one of Angus’ socks. She didn’t bother with her
other boot because it felt awkward. She knew that she could probably hop
out of the bedroom on one foot but thought that Keith would be displeased
if she tried.
So, after brushing her long black hair, she shouted, “I’m done, Keith.”
Keith was startled when she called to him because he was still dwelling
on the potential assassination. He popped to his feet then quickly walked to
the bedroom and opened the door.
“Well, don’t you look all nice and clean,” he said as he walked to the
tub.

“You look like you shaved and took a bath yourself.”

“Sort of,” he replied as he pulled the plug on the tub and let the water
flow into the crawl space beneath the cabin.
It was one of the smart things his and Angus’ father had done when they
built the cabin. They’d used some logs to lift the structure from the ground,
so the rainwater had someplace to go without destroying the wood floor.
The gap also allowed the water to drain from the bathtub.
 “I’ll make you a crutch tomorrow, so you’ll be able to get around better.”

“That will be nice. I don’t want to be such a bother.”

“That’s the same as being a burden or a nuisance, ma’am. I don’t want to
hear it anymore. You are my guest.”
“Just a guest, Keith?”
Keith looked at her then answered, “Not a guest and not just a resident,
Hannah. This is your home now and you’ll never be a burden.”
“I feel like I’m home already.”
Keith looked at her feet and asked, “Did you want me to put your splint
back on?”
“I want to see how it feels without it. Is that alright?”
“It’s your ankle, ma’am. Let’s get you into the kitchen so I can feed
you.”
He carefully assisted Hannah from the bed and acted as her crutch as
they made their way to the table.
After taking a seat, Hannah asked, “What’s for dinner? It smells
wonderful.”
“Nothing great, I’m afraid. I’ll pick up something special when I’m in
town tomorrow.”
“It still smells good.”

Keith had already set a loaf of bread and a tub of butter on the table, so
he poured her a cup of coffee and refilled his own cup before bringing the
food.
As they ate, she asked, “How long will you be gone tomorrow?”
 “About three or four hours. I’ll leave Smoke with you, but you should
still keep your pistol handy.”
“Do you think that Paul will come here so soon?”
“I still don’t think it’s likely that he’ll come at all. If he sends someone,
which is more of a possibility, they wouldn’t get here for a couple of days.
When Angus was talking about me, did he tell you about the cabin or
Smoke?”
“Not where the cabin was, only that you lived alone. He didn’t mention
Smoke either.”
“That’s good news. I was wondering if he could just send some killers
directly to the cabin. At least now anyone who comes looking for me will
have to stop in town.”
“What will you do if someone does show up?”
“It depends on what they do. If I see men entering the property with guns
in their hands, then I’ll shoot them before they get anywhere near the cabin.
Right now, my rifles are all in the barn, but when I return tomorrow, I’ll
move one of the Winchesters and my Sharps-Borshadt to the cabin just in
case they do arrive.”

“I know you’re a very good shot with your bow, but can you do as well
with your guns?”
“I’m actually more accurate with my firearms. Unless Paul sends a
sharpshooter with a Sharps, then they’ll never get within two hundred yards
of the cabin.”
“You promised to show me how to shoot a Winchester after I’m better.
You will do that; won’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am. Now finish your supper.”
“Yes, sir.”
 Keith smiled at Hannah as she resumed eating and hoped that she didn’t
think he was bragging about his marksmanship. He worked hard to keep his
proficiency levels as high as possible. It wasn’t good to miss an angry,
wounded grizzly as he charged…at least not for the shooter.

After a few more bites, Hannah asked, “Have you ever shot a man
before?”
Keith swallowed then shook his head and replied, “No. I’ve never even
aimed a gun at a man. Well, let me rephrase that. I never aimed a gun at a
man with the intention of shooting him. Once I pointed my pistol at a hunter
who was about to punch his son for missing a shot. I suppose that he had
the right as a father, but I was leading the party, so I told him to let it go. I
reminded him that men missed just as often as boys. The irony of it was that
he missed his next two shots.”
“You said that you usually get bonuses from the hunters. Did that man
give you a bonus, or did he forget to pay you?”
“Actually, he gave me a very big bonus. He added a hundred dollars to
my bill and thanked me for stopping him from striking his son.”
“Really?”
“Yes, ma’am. He wasn’t a bad man, but he lost his temper when his
twelve-year-old boy missed that big elk buck. He returned to San Francisco
with a different buck and a grizzly fur rug for his mansion, which probably
helped.”
“Are you going to lose money by not taking any jobs while I’m
recovering?”
“Probably, but I’m not exactly short of cash. I could probably live the
rest of my life with what I have in the bank. I don’t even need that much. If
it came right down to it, I could probably live without spending another
dime. I just couldn’t have coffee or bread.”
 Hannah was sure that he wasn’t exaggerating. After she’d seen the
vegetable garden and fruit trees, all he’d need was meat and with the
smokehouse, he could probably go a month without hunting. All he really
needed was a woman, and Hannah knew which woman he needed.

As he cleaned up, Keith asked, “Now that you’re settled in, I need to
know which horse you’d like for your own.”
“I get to choose?”
“As long as it’s not Friday. He’s my gelding. You can have either
Wednesday, my mare, or you can have Angus’ horse, the gelding you’ve
been riding.”
“You told me why you named your horses. Did Angus give his horse a
name?”

Keith paused from scrubbing the skillet and replied, “Beggar.”

“Beggar? Why did he call him that? I’m sure there’s a story there.”
“It’s better than how I named my horses. After he bought the gelding, he
was showing him to me and said, ‘I’m going to call him Beggar because I
can imagine him on his knees pleading with the rancher not to take away
his stallion parts’. I laughed so hard I thought I’d pass out. I thought about
changing Friday or Wednesday’s names, but didn’t want to copy his
silliness.”
“That is funny, but would you mind if I chose Wednesday? She’s prettier
and seems gentler, too.”
“She is and she’s young enough so that she’ll be with you for years.”
“Thank you for everything, Keith.”
“You’re welcome, but don’t be too grateful. You haven’t heard my
snoring yet.”
 Hannah smiled and wished she could laugh but was pleased to see how
much Keith enjoyed her company. She would do everything she could to
make it almost impossible for him to let her leave. She had no idea that she
would have to turn into a bona fide witch for that to happen.
_____
Keith blew out the lamp in the bedroom after Hannah was under the
quilts. She was sleeping in Angus’ clothes and wearing her splint because
the quilt made her ankle twist.

After he closed the door he walked to the couch and pulled the cushions
to the floor. He could have gone out to the barn and retrieved the two
bedrolls, but the cushions would be good enough for one night. Tomorrow,
he’d drive the buckboard into town and pick up a small bed when he did his
shopping for Hannah.
As he lay on his back on the cushions with his legs hanging over the
bottom, he found he was too tired to think about whatever Paul Binder
might try. It was good to be back in the cabin and even better knowing that
Hannah was sleeping in his bed.
 CHAPTER 5
Early the next morning, Paul met with the Martin brothers and the other
two men they’d chosen to join them. He recognized Arnie Jones and Joe
Babcock and understood why Al and Frank had asked them to come along.
They weren’t as nasty as the Martin brothers, but both of them would do
anything for money.
He had a heavily loaded packhorse and each of them was wearing a
pistol and carrying a Winchester in his scabbard.
“Where are we goin’, Paul?” Al asked.

“To Colville. I’ll tell you what I need done on the way.”
“Good enough. Let’s get goin’.”

Paul nodded and nudged his borrowed gelding into a medium trot. He
planned on getting close to Colville before sunset then he’d set up about a
mile beyond the entry point that the guide had taken. He’d have them hire
Stuart and wait for them to enter the forest. Even if Stuart entered at another
point, it didn’t matter. He’d have Al and Frank kill him as soon as they were
in the trees. He would prefer to watch them shoot him, but it wasn’t critical.
He just needed to see the body before they buried it then he’d just let
Stuart’s animals wander away.
_____

Keith drove the buckboard away from the barn later than he’d hoped. It
had taken him fifteen minutes just to escort Hannah to the privy and back
then another twenty to fashion a crude crutch from a pine branch. He had
his Winchester in the footwell even though he didn’t expect any trouble, at
least not today.
 He’d visit the sheriff and explain the situation with all of the details. He
could trust him not to let anyone know about Hannah. He’d known Bill
Sheffield for most of his life and aside from Angus, Bill had been as close
to him as anyone.

He pulled the buckboard to a stop before the county courthouse and

climbed down. The jail was adjacent to courthouse, but there wasn’t enough
clear space for the buckboard.
After he passed through the open doorway, he spotted Sheriff Sheffield
at his desk reading and the sheriff quickly looked up.

As Keith walked closer, the sheriff said, “I was sad to hear about Eva
and the baby. How did Angus take the news?”
Keith sat in the sorry excuse for a chair in front of the desk then replied,
“I never got a chance to tell him, Bill. I had to bury him in the wilderness.”
“
What happened?
” the sheriff asked sharply.
“I left the morning after I’d talked to Mrs. Wharton to find him and
break the terrible news to him. A little after noon, I ran into Paul Binder,
who had hired him…”

Sheriff Sheffield listened closely as Keith narrated the tragic story and
before he even finished, he had already come to the same conclusion that
Keith had about the impossibility of prosecution.
When he did finish after talking for almost ten minutes, Keith said, “I
don’t suppose that you can do anything about it; can you?”

“I’m sorry, Keith. I wish I could, but we both know it would be a waste
of time. Even if Mrs. Binder could testify against her husband, and I’m not
sure about that law, I don’t think we’d be able to get a conviction.”
“I know. I don’t blame you or the system.  I just wanted to be sure. That
being said, I wanted to let you know that Mrs. Binder will be staying at my
cabin until she’s better, but it’s obvious that she can’t return to Spokane
Falls, either. I’m going to stay with her until she’s better, and if Binder
doesn’t send anyone to try to eliminate me, then I plan to go down to
Spokane Falls.”

“You know that I won’t be able to help you at all if you get into a fix
down there.”
“I’m aware of that, but I wanted you to know. If I do have to go down
there, I’ll come and talk to you first. Okay?”

“Alright.”
“What happens to his house and other things now?”

“You’re his only relative except his missing father, so I’ll talk to Judge
Hastings and have everything he had given to you.”
“Thanks, Bill. I’ve got to do some shopping and then head back. I want
to be there if anyone shows up.  But if they do come onto my land with
guns drawn, I’ll fire first.”

“It’s within your rights, Keith. You won’t have any concerns about the
law if you do.”
Keith nodded, then stood and shook the sheriff’s hand before turning and
leaving the jail. The house issue wasn’t nearly as important as letting the
sheriff know that there might be bloodshed in his county soon. But having
the house meant that Hannah would have that option available if she
changed her mind about her permanent residence. He just hoped that she
didn’t.

_____
After Keith had gone, Hannah had spent some time adjusting to the use
of the crutch he’d made for her. It still had bark, but Keith had selected a
perfect branch for the purpose. After he’d cut and trimmed the branches, all
he’d had to do was to tie a folded towel over the angled top branch so she
could put it more comfortable under her arm.
 It was awkward at first, but once she got the hang of it, she found that
she was surprisingly mobile. Her ribs still hurt like the dickens, but she was
able to keep her left foot off the floor.

She was sitting in the front room and had turned the chair to look
through one of the windows so she could see at least a mile away. She
believed that Keith had been right about how long it would be before Paul
or his father could send anyone, but she still worried that Paul may have
turned around and decided to do it himself. How she had been so wrong
about him still baffled her.
Smoke was sitting on the floor near the door, and Keith had hung Angus’
gunbelt on a peg near the doorway, so between Smoke and the gun, she felt
safer. She knew that she couldn’t shoot Paul, even if she desperately wished
she could, and it wasn’t because of her ribs. When she had seen Keith riding
towards her in the shadows and believed he was Paul, she knew that she
couldn’t do it. She’d been telling Keith and herself that she could, but it was
little more than wishful thinking. If Paul was to suffer for what he’d done,
Keith would have to be the one to do it.

_____
Keith didn’t bother buying another bed, but did buy a small mattress,
another pillow and some more linen. He could have just taken them from
Angus’ house but wasn’t ready to visit the place yet. Besides, technically, it
wasn’t his yet. He added some more spices and other food then left
everything at the counter. He didn’t ask for help when he bought Hannah’s
things, but simply walked down the women’s clothing aisle and chose items
that seemed to fit her needs. He wasn’t embarrassed to be adding
underclothing or the nightdresses but was sure that he’d be getting
comments from Wally Jefferson when he returned to the counter. He bought
her some new boots that were better than the one’s he’d cut in two.

After loading the three large bags onto the buckboard, he turned back
east before he stopped at Sid Elbert’s butcher shop. He bought a slab of
bacon because he was low, then bought a large rib roast. He’d cook it
tonight and they’d be eating it for a few days. That was assuming that no
one would be showing up that quickly.

He left Colville shortly before noon and scanned to the south to see if
anyone was coming on the road from Spokane Falls. He could see a good
three miles down the road and didn’t see anyone heading north, so he
relaxed.
Hannah was relieved when she’d spotted Keith, but there was no reason
for her to leave her seat. She simply sat and watched as the buckboard
rolled closer to the cabin. She was curious about what he’d bought in
Colville. He’d lived alone as a bachelor for so long, she suspected that he’d
bought her more men’s clothes. She wouldn’t mind, but she did need a
nightdress. Sleeping in britches under a quilt was odd if nothing else.

_____
As Keith approached his cabin, Paul and his four hires were just ten
miles south of Colville. He rode his borrowed gelding north leading his
packhorse. Al and Frank Martin were riding on either side while Arnie
Jones and Joe Babcock rode out front.

He’d already given them their instructions as they rode and had been
pleased that they seemed to accept his plan so willingly. He’d told them that
tomorrow morning, they’d take the packhorse with them when they went to
Stuart’s house to hire him because it would look suspicious if they didn’t
have any supplies with them.
Al had asked what they would do if he refused to hire them, which Paul
hadn’t even thought possible. Paul told him to just come back and let him
know then they’d come up with another plan. It was vague but it was the
best he could come up with so quickly.

About ninety minutes later, Paul spotted the path that Angus had taken
when he led them into the forest, so he had to yell to attract Arnie and Joe’s
attention before turning right toward the distant trees.
 They soon entered the forest and Paul followed the cuts Angus had made
for thirty minutes before he pulled up near a stream to set up their camp.

_____
Hannah looked at Keith with a smile as she held one of the nightdresses
out before her and said, “You really surprised me, Mister Stuart. I expected
you to return with only men’s clothing.”

“I thought I’d be grilled by the storekeeper, but he didn’t say anything. I

was ready with a few white lies, but I’m glad that they weren’t necessary.”
“May I ask what those lies would be?”

“I was going to tell him that I was thinking of courting someone, but not
give him her name. I figured he’d just enjoy spreading the gossip.”
She smiled as she set the nightdress down then said, “The sweater was a
very thoughtful addition.”

“All I did was walk down the aisle and pick things that I thought you’d
need. I hope the boots are the right size.”
“They’re perfect. Did you go to Angus’ house while you were in town?”

“Not yet. I have to wait for the judge to write the order, so I’ll probably
have to make another quick trip into town soon. I’m going to wait for at
least three days because if anyone comes, it’ll most likely be before then.
I’m going to move all of my long guns into the house and leave them near
the door. I’m going to give you Angus’ shotgun and I want you to keep it
close. Have you ever fired one before?”
“No, but I’ve heard that they’re easy to use.”

“They are, and I’ll show you how when I bring it inside. It’ll hurt your
ribs something fierce if you have to use it, but I don’t think it’ll be
necessary.”
“Alright.”
 “I’m going to make us lunch. Do you need to visit the privy before I
start?”

“No, sir. I used your crutch to visit the small house a little while ago.”
“How is that working?”

“I’m still trying to adjust to it, but it’ll be better as I get used to using it.”
“I’ll trim off the bark to make it look better tonight. I was hoping to find
one in the store, but they didn’t have one.”

“This will be fine. I hope I can discard it within a couple of weeks,

though.”
“It’s up to you, Hannah.”

Keith stepped to the kitchen area and still had to put away some of the
food he’d bought earlier. When he pulled the slab of bacon from the big
sack, he held it in his hand and looked at Hannah.
“Um…I know that you said you weren’t religious like your father, but
does that mean you’ll eat bacon?”

Hannah shifted her eyes from one of her new dresses and replied, “I
never had bacon until I married Paul. Even if I was as devout as my father,
it would have been almost impossible for me to refuse to eat at the breakfast
table without exposing my heritage. But I didn’t hesitate because it smelled
so incredible.”
“I didn’t think about it until I pulled out the slab, so I had to ask. I
bought a nice rib roast for supper, too. I’ll bake some bread at the same
time, so you’ll be able to have a good meal for a change.”

“You’ve been feeding me very well, sir,” she replied, then smiled and
asked, “Are you going to bake an apple pie, too?”
“Not today, ma’am, but I’ll probably bake one in a few days. I’ll be
picking apples for a whole day, then I’ll take most of them into town. I trade
them for flour, salt and coffee, so it’s worth the effort.”
“Why don’t you just give them away?”
“Because Donny Briscoe, the storekeeper who sold me your clothes,
sells them. He gets a penny for two apples, so he’ll make three or four
dollars. I usually only take a big sack of flour, a small bag of salt and a few
pounds of coffee in exchange, so he still comes out ahead.”
“So, you don’t even spend money for your staples?”
“Not when I’m bringing him apples, but I buy them the rest of the year. I
do give away some apples, cherries, blueberries and strawberries, though.”

“You have blueberries and strawberries, too?”

Keith continued to put the food away as he replied, “Yes, ma’am. I
planted them shortly after my father left.”

“What do you have in your vegetable garden?”

“Just the root vegetables: potatoes, onions and carrots. I skipped planting
turnips and beets because I was never an admirer.”
After he finished putting up the food, Keith walked back to where
Hannah was sitting, pulled another chair close and sat down.
“Did Paul hear Angus when he told you that I wasn’t married?”
“I think so. Is that important?”
“Yes, ma’am. If they show up, they can’t see you even for a moment. For
the next three days, I want you to stay back from the windows in case
anyone shows up. They could just be a hunting party looking to hire me, but
they could be assassins. Smoke will warn us long before they get here, but
you might not have time to move away. I don’t want them to even get a
glimpse of you through the window.”

“Alright.”
 “After I think it’s safe enough for me to go into town, I want you to bolt
the door after I’m gone. Will you be able to lift the heavy locking post into
the angle irons?”
“I think so. Do you want me to try?”
“Not yet. Let’s see what happens.”
“What will you do if they do show up?”
“It depends on what they do. Like I told you before, if I see them with
guns in their hands, then I’ll open fire. The sheriff already told me that I
was within my rights, so I don’t have to worry about any legal issues. If
they just ride up to the house with their guns holstered, then I’ll let it play
out. You haven’t met any of the men he might send, so that’s a
disadvantage.”
“What if there are more than two? How could you deal with them if they
suddenly started shooting?”
“I have no idea. I’d prefer to have them make their attempt away from
the cabin. If they waited until I was out hunting in the woods, then I’d be
able to take six of them.”

“Will you let them see Smoke if they show up?”

“Again, it depends on their approach. Smoke is my ace in the hole. He’s
very protective and if anyone threatens me, he’ll attack them before they
know he’s there. He’s already become fond of you in case you haven’t
noticed.”
“I have. He’s a good dog, but he looks like he could take down a grizzly
if he’s mad.”
“He couldn’t even scare a grizzly, but he can put the fear of God into
most men. Just remember to stay away from the windows during the day. At
night it won’t matter, even with lamplight. Anyone spying from a distance
will only see shadows.”
 “I just hope that Paul and his father accept that I’m dead and disregard
any threat you may pose.”
“So, do I. But we have to prepare for the worst. To that end, I’m going to
start moving my long guns into the house. I’ll keep the Sharps and my
Sharps-Borshadt loaded which will give me two quick long-range shots
before I switch to my Winchester.”
Hannah just nodded and prayed that he wouldn’t need to pull a single
trigger to ward off any assassins. She knew that she was almost helpless for
a while and it irritated her to no end.
Keith rose and after moving the chair back to its original spot, left the
cabin to retrieve his rifles and the shotgun from the barn.
_____

The five men sat around the cold firepit. They wouldn’t need to build a
fire until after sundown.
Paul said, “I was thinking about what you asked earlier, Al. What I want
you to do when you get to his house tomorrow is to feel him out. After you
tell him that you want to hire him to do some grizzly hunting, if he turns
down your offer, ask him why. He won’t tell you that he’s going down to
Spokane Falls, but if he says he has another job or something like that, just
come back here and we’ll figure out some other way to get him. But see if
you can get him to tell you that he discovered that I killed his cousin. It’s
possible that he didn’t find the body and then he’s not a problem anymore.”

Al sharply asked, “Are you telling me that you’re gonna welch on our
deal if he doesn’t know what you did?”
“No. Not at all. I’ll still pay each of you what I promised. It’s just that if
he doesn’t know, then it’s a lot safer not to try to kill him. His cousin said
he’s really good with all sorts of weapons, and if we try to kill him one of
us might die for no reason at all. Even if we kill him, there’s a risk that his
body could be found and then there would be an investigation. Why take
that chance if he’s not a threat?”
Al nodded then replied, “Alright. We’ll see what happens when we get
there. You know that we can’t tell him that we want to hunt grizzlies; don’t
you?”
“Why not?”
“Because we’re only carrying Winchesters. He’ll figure somethin’ is
wrong and won’t talk to us at all. I’ll tell him we’re lookin’ for a big elk and
we want to give it a chance, so we left our big-bore guns at home.”
“That sounds good, Al.”

Frank asked, “Want to play some poker to kill some time?”

Joe Babcock grinned and exclaimed, “Now you’re talkin’!”

_____
After the very filling and well-prepared dinner, Keith helped Hannah to
the bedroom.

After sitting her on the edge of the bed, he asked, “Will you be able to
change?”
“I think so. Could you lay out my things on the bed for me?”
“Yes, ma’am. Do you want me to put tomorrow’s clothes nearby as
well?”
“That would be a good idea. I’d like to wear the blue dress.”
“Your wish is my command, my lady,” Keith said before walking to the
dresser.
He had put everything away earlier, so he knew where he would find
what she needed and soon set her choices on the bed.
 “I’ll see you in the morning. If you need anything, just call.”
“Thank you, Keith. I’m sure that I’ll sleep peacefully for a change.”
“Good night, Hannah.”

“Good night.”
Keith smiled then left the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Smoke was in his house near the front porch where he usually stayed when
they were home, so after he stripped to his skivvies, he laid on his mattress
and pulled his blanket to his waist.
He glanced at his rifles that were leaning against the wall near the
doorway and wished that Paul would arrive soon so he could put an end to
this. He doubted if Paul would be the one to show his face, but if he did,
then he could deliver justice for Angus without having to make that ride to
Spokane Falls. He was still on the fence about the likelihood that Paul or his
father would send anyone. He suspected that if they did, the killers would
arrive tomorrow or the next day at the latest. How he could handle more
than two was one problem that he hadn’t solved yet.
_____

About two hours after sunrise the next morning, the Martin brothers, Joe
Babcock and Arnie Jones left the trees trailing Paul’s packhorse.
They had another four miles before they reached Colville where they’d
ask where Keith Stuart lived. Paul had told them that he lived out of town
but didn’t know where it was.

Al turned to his brother and said, “I don’t figure Binder is gonna do a

damned thing. He talks big, but he ain’t gonna lift a finger.”
Frank snickered then replied, “I noticed that. Do you believe that story
he told about how he killed the guide?”

“Hell, no! He wouldn’t even look me in the eye when he hired us. I’ll bet
he didn’t even look at his wife when he pushed her over the cliff, either.”
 “That was a real waste, too. She was a handsome filly.”
“You got that right. She coulda done a lot better than Paul. I still can’t
figure out why he killed her.”
Joe Babcock, who was riding beside Al said, “I heard that his old man
found out she was a Jew.”
Al whipped his eyes back to Joe and exclaimed, “
Are you kiddin’ me?
”
“Nope. I heard that Joe threatened to disown him unless he got rid of her
and little brother John is even courtin’ Karen Brown to move him out.”
Frank laughed then asked, “Where do you get all this stuff?”
Joe grinned then replied, “I spend some time with Jeanie Templeton, and
she gets all the gossip.”
Al said, “I guess that explains a few things. I still hope that Stuart takes
our offer. I’d like some action.”
“You and me both, Al,” his brother replied.

_____
Keith and Hannah had awakened early so they could get all of the
morning necessities done before anyone could arrive. So, by the time that
the four killers left the trees, they were already dressed and had eaten a cold
breakfast of leftovers.
Hannah was wearing her blue dress and sitting in the bedroom. Keith
had left the shotgun with her and shown her the basics for firing the
scattergun.
“Are you going to stay in the cabin?”
“No. I’ll leave Smoke with you, but I’m going to be outside in case
anyone shows up. I’ll stop by every so often and check on you. Use the
chamber pot if you feel the need. I don’t want you to be spotted outside.”
 “I understand.”
Keith nodded, then turned and left the bedroom. He debated about
releasing his hammer loop but didn’t think it was necessary yet.
He left the cabin, scanned the horizon and spotted riders heading into
Colville. There were four of them and they were trailing a packhorse. He
was sure that they weren’t a hunting party and immediately turned around
and headed back into the cabin.

Hannah heard him enter, so when he entered the bedroom, she asked,
“Back so soon?”
“Yes, ma’am. I believe that we’ll have visitors soon. I spotted four riders
going into Colville with a packhorse. They could just be hunters, but I’d be
surprised if they don’t show up in an hour or so.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just what you’re doing now. I’ll set the shotgun on the bed for you, but
I’ll have to close the front door to keep Smoke from coming outside. He’d
normally stay when I tell him, but if he senses danger, he’d come to my
aid.”
“Alright.”
“I’ll open one of the bedroom windows, so you’ll be able to hear what
happens.”

“Thank you.”
Keith smiled then turned, opened the window between the bed and the
bedroom door, then left the bedroom. He closed the bedroom door, then
called Smoke into the cabin.
After the big dog trotted into the house, Keith rubbed his head then said,
“Stay.”
 Smoke sat and watched as Keith took one of the Winchesters and his
Sharps-Borshadt before he left the cabin and closed the door behind him.
Once his human was gone, Smoke curled up on the floor and waited for him
to return.
_____
Al exited the bakery and tossed a loaf of bread to Frank before
mounting.
“He lives northeast of town about a mile away.”
They turned their horses to the east and headed out of Colville. As they
rode, Frank began ripping the warm bread into pieces and lobbing them to
Joe and Arnie. They began laughing as the chunks dropped to the ground
after their futile attempts to catch them.
Al wanted to tell them to get serious but didn’t think it mattered yet.
_____
Keith entered the barn and leaned his two rifles near the door. He wanted
them nearby but didn’t want to have to go back to the cabin if he needed
them. He also decided to leave his hammer loop in place. If all four of them
drew their guns, being able to pull his Colt quickly wouldn’t make much of
a difference in the final outcome.
Since he’d seen them riding into Colville, he’d become almost fatalistic.
If bullets started flying, then all he could hope for was that they’d be
satisfied after killing him and not try to loot his cabin. He was counting that
his proximity to town would make them want to make their escape rather
than risk being caught. He might be able to get two of them before they
killed him, but no more.
He walked out of the barn and headed for the corral to chat with the
horses. If the mule wanted to listen, then that was all right, too. He even
thought of spending some of the time to come up with a name for the mule.
Even Angus hadn’t given him a name, so Keith discarded the notion and
figured he could stay that way.

When Keith spotted them leaving Colville, he was facing the horses but
still glanced back every few seconds watching them approach. It was still
possible that they’d turn down the road and head back south, but it wasn’t
very likely. He did notice that Paul wasn’t with them, which was hardly a
surprise.
“That’s gotta be him,” Frank said when they were four hundred yards
from the cabin.
“You’re a regular genius, Frank,” his older brother said before he
snickered.
Frank glared at him then hurled the last chunk of bread at his head.
Joe and Arnie laughed when the bread flew a good three feet over Al’s
hat. Al didn’t tell them to get serious again because he wanted to appear
friendly when they met Stuart.
Keith finally turned when they were a couple of hundred yards away and
stepped closer to the barn door, then stopped and waited for them to arrive.
They didn’t have their Winchesters in their hands, so they weren’t going to
try to shoot him at range. His heart was pounding against his ribs, but he
retained a calm façade.
Hannah had been watching through the window, but because she was
still sitting on the bed, she only had a narrow view out front of the cabin.
So, she was almost startled when they suddenly appeared just fifty yards
away but past out of her view quickly as they rode toward the barn. She
desperately wished she could at least get a better look at what was
happening; but did as Keith had directed and stayed put. All she could do
was to listen.
Keith still couldn’t see if their hammer loops were in place after they’d
passed in front of the cabin but was curious about what their plans were. It
all depended on what Paul or his father had told them to do.

Al pulled them to a stop just twenty feet before Keith and asked, “Are
you Keith Stuart?”
“I am. What can I do for you boys?”
“We want to go into the deep forest to get a couple of big elk stags. So,
we stopped in town to ask who the best guide was, and they told me that
you were the man to talk to.”
“That’s what I do. It’ll cost you thirty dollars a day. Can you handle
that?”
Al was momentarily unsettled.
That was what most of the workers made
in a month!
He recovered quickly then replied, “That’s fine. Can we head out
today?”
“The earliest I can leave is tomorrow. I got in late last night and I need to
rest my horses.”
“That’s okay. Did you do some hunting on your own or did you take
some other fellers out?”
“Neither. I had to find my cousin to give him some bad news, but he had
an accident. I spent a couple of days out there looking for his body but
didn’t find it. I figured it was just a futile gesture anyway because there are
so many big predators and scavengers out there.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Were you close to your cousin?”
“Very close. He was my only relative. I wish I could have at least buried
him.”
Al nodded then said, “Well, we’ll stop by early tomorrow, if that’s okay.”
“That’ll be fine. But if you want to take down a really big elk, those
Winchesters won’t do the job. You might want to buy a bigger caliber
hunting rifle before we head out. I don’t let others use my weapons.”

“I can understand that. Thanks for the advice. We might need to take
some time to get one, though.”
“Take your time. Whenever you have the guns, come back and see me.”
“We’ll do that. Thanks, Mister Stuart.”
Keith saluted then watched as the four men wheeled their horses around
and trotted away from the barn. He let out a long breath and ran his hand
through his hair. He didn’t think that they’d be back at all, but he had to
expect that they would. He suspected that if they did come back, it would
be tonight.

He waited by the barn until they turned south on the road. He was
curious about their destination, so he trotted into the barn and climbed to
the loft. It was a small barn, but the loft gave him another ten feet of height
to monitor them a lot longer.
He soon reached the loft doors and swung them open. He picked them up
in the distance and kept them in view as they continued south on the road.
He almost lost them over the horizon when they turned east. The turn didn’t
surprise him, but he wasn’t sure about what he could do about it. If Hannah
wasn’t in the cabin, he would trail them through the trees and catch them by
surprise, but he couldn’t leave her. He’d have to wait for them to return.
He climbed down from the loft and walked to the barn door. He snatched
his rifles as he passed and headed for the cabin.
Hannah’s nerves had been as tight as a guitar string since she’d seen the
four men ride past and the longer that she waited to hear gunfire erupt, the
tighter they became. When she saw them ride away, she exhaled and almost
collapsed in relief. She expected Keith to quickly return, but he hadn’t.
After another minute, her relief evaporated and was replaced with renewed
anxiety. She couldn’t imagine how they could have killed him silently. If
she could run, she would have bolted from the bedroom, but she had to stay.
 It was mental torture for more than ten minutes before she finally heard
his footsteps on the porch, and she began to cry in a much more intense
release of her fears.
Keith had been concentrating so much on where the four men had gone
that he had failed to realize the impact his delay had made on Hannah. So,
when he opened the door, he set his rifles against the wall then patted
Smoke’s head.
It was only when he opened the bedroom door and found Hannah in
tears that he realized he should have taken a minute to tell her that he had to
get to the barn loft.
She wiped her eyes and asked, “What happened? Why were you gone so
long?”
He sat on the bed beside her and replied, “I’m sorry, Hannah. I should
have told you what had happened out there before I watched them leave.”
“What did they say?”
“They pretended that they wanted to hire me to go elk hunting, but they
only had Winchesters. So, even if we hadn’t been expecting them, I would
have been suspicious. I told them that I couldn’t leave until tomorrow
because I just got back last night. One of them asked why I was gone, and I
told him that I’d spent a few days in the forest searching for my cousin’s
body but didn’t find it.”

“Are you really going to take them into the forest tomorrow?”
“No, ma’am. I don’t believe that they’ll be coming back, at least not in
the morning. I told them that they’d need more powerful rifles if they were
going to hunt big game and they said that they’d be back when they bought
some. Then they left but didn’t head into town. So, I climbed into the loft to
see where they were going but should have told you I was going to watch
them for a while.”
“Where did they go?”
 “After about four miles, they turned east into the forest. I was wondering
why they chose that spot, and I finally figured out that Paul must be waiting
for them in the trees.”
“
He’s here?
” she exclaimed.
“I’m pretty sure. They headed directly for the same entrance point that
Angus had used. They wouldn’t have gone that way even if Paul had told
them where it was because it wasn’t visible from the road. He had to show
them where it was and was probably expecting me to guide them into the
same entrance.”
“You aren’t going to go after him; are you?”
“No. Although I did think about it. I could probably finish them all off
now that they’re in the forest, but they might already be moving, so I don’t
want to take the risk. We’ll wait to see what they’re going to do.”
“You decided not to get justice for Angus because of me; didn’t you?”
Keith nodded and replied, “Yes, it was because I couldn’t take the
chance that they’d split up and circle around. But the more I thought about
it, the more convinced I became that it was a better idea anyway. In a little
while, I’m going to go back to the barn loft and watch where they entered
the forest.”
“What do you think they’ll do?”
“When they asked me why I had been gone, I figured Paul wanted them
to find out if I found the cut rope or Angus’ body. So, I told them that I had
searched for my cousin’s body but wasn’t able to find it. When they pass
that on to Paul, he might believe that he was safe. I wanted him to return to
Spokane Falls and relax. After you’re better, I’ll go down there to get
justice for Angus. I still need to come up with a plan, too.”
Hannah sighed in relief again. At least nothing would change for a few
weeks unless Paul and his four assassins returned during the night.
 “I’m going to head back to the barn. It’s still early, so if Paul is
convinced that he’s safe now, he might start back for Spokane Falls right
away.”

“Okay.”
Keith smiled, placed his hand on her shoulder for just a few seconds then
stood and left the bedroom.
_____
“He told you that he didn’t find his cousin’s body?” Paul asked.

Al replied, “Yup. He just got back last night.”

“Did he seem angry or mention that his cousin had been murdered?”
“Nope. He seemed kinda down about it, but not mad. He didn’t even say
that he ran into you on the way.”
Paul pulled on his right earlobe as he evaluated the situation. It would be
much better if he just returned to Spokane Falls and left Stuart alone. His
only concern wasn’t Stuart, but how he would look in the eyes of the four
men he’d hired to kill him.
After more than a minute of thought and ear tugging, Paul said, “I don’t
think he’s the problem that I believed him to be. When I told him that his
cousin had fallen down the cliff, he didn’t even ask me what happened.
What did you think of him?”
Al shrugged and replied, “He seems like a regular feller. He even told us
we needed to get bigger guns.”
Frank snickered then said, “He told us that he didn’t let other boys use
his rifles. I wouldn’t let anyone use my Colt, either. He seems like an okay
guy to me.”
Paul looked at Joe and Arnie who were both nodding and understood
that he could head back to Spokane Falls without any of them passing
rumors that he was a coward.
“Okay. Let’s pack up and head back. I’ll pay you when we get back to
town.”
The thought of getting so much money for just making a ride to Colville
and back tickled each of them and they soon began helping Paul clean up
the campsite and load the packhorse.
Just forty minutes after entering the trees, the five men rode out of the
forest and soon picked up the road to Spokane Falls.
_____
Keith hadn’t been staring at the southbound road, but just pacing in the
loft and taking a glance every few minutes. But when he did spot them, they
hadn’t reached the road yet. He counted five riders and the packhorse, so he
knew that Paul had been with them after all. He stopped pacing and kept his
eyes glued to the southern horizon as the men rode away. It was only when
the last tiny dot disappeared that he finally left the loft.
He bounded across the open ground but slowed before he crossed the
porch and entered his cabin.
“They’re heading back to Spokane Falls,” he said loudly as he passed
through the bedroom doorway.
"Was Paul with them?"

He sat on the bed next to her as he replied, "I’m pretty sure. There were
five riders and the packhorse. I watched until they were over the horizon, so
I doubt if they’ll be back.”
“It’s possible that when Paul tells his father that you’re still alive that he
might come back, or his father could send them on his own.”

“I know, but that won’t be for another four or five days. I still need to go
into town to see the judge and I’ll need to update Sheriff Sheffield about
their visit. I’ll do that tomorrow. Okay?”
 “That’s fine. Are you going to stay here the rest of the day or are you
going to ride into the forest to look at their campsite? They might have left
a couple of men behind; you know.”
“I’m not going to check. It’s not likely that there’s anyone there. I was a
bit surprised that he had four men with him. It was a pretty lame plan if you
ask me. Those boys weren’t dressed like men who would hire a guide and
didn’t even have the right weapons. I really thought that they’d just pull
their pistols and open fire. It wouldn’t have been an elegant method, but it
would have worked.”
Hannah softly asked, “You would have died; wouldn’t you?”

“Maybe. But I’m here and I’ll spend a few weeks nursing you back to
good health. I’ll bake you an apple pie, too.”
Hannah smiled as she said, “I’ll hold you to that, Mister Stuart.”
After an awkward moment that promised to be the first of hundreds that
would follow in the coming weeks, Keith stood.
“I’ll make you some lunch. Do you need to visit the privy before I do?”
“No, but you do need to empty the chamber pot.”
Keith nodded then turned and picked up the chamber pot before he left
the bedroom. As he left the cabin to empty the portable privy, he wondered
if it wouldn’t be safer for Hannah if she moved into Angus’ house in town.
If she preferred to stay there, he’d tell the sheriff, so she’d be protected. If
he hired a nurse to help her, then he wouldn’t have to delay his trip to
Spokane Falls.
But even as he washed the emptied chamber pot at the outside pump, he
knew that he wasn’t going to even ask if she wanted to move into town. He
may have been living alone for more than ten years, but he wasn’t really
lonely. He always had Angus and then Eva. Now they were gone and the
thought of not having anyone in his life gave him the willies. He had joked
with Hannah about having someone other than Smoke to talk to, but it
wasn’t funny anymore.

She may still be married to Paul Binder and he wasn’t about to make her
violate her vows, despite her husband’s much more egregious violation. He
needed to keep her with him to fill the void created by the loss of Angus
and Eva. He didn’t doubt that he could love her as a woman needs to be
loved, but that would come later after he dealt with Paul Binder. He knew
that they would become closer each day as she healed, but he would need to
remain just her friend and nurse until she could become much more. It
wasn’t just her marriage vows that would keep him sleeping in the main
room. There was another, more pressing reason.
He soon returned to the cabin to prepare their lunch with a sharper view
of their future. He still had no idea of how to deal with Paul Binder if he
remained in Spokane Falls.

_____
Paul entered his father’s house just after sunset. He’d paid the men
before they left with the cash he’d withdrawn from his personal account
before he’d gone but didn’t want them to know he had it with him for
obvious reasons.
He was relieved when he walked into the parlor and hadn’t found either
John or Karen in the room. His father was sitting in his favorite easy chair
smoking his pipe and reading when he walked through the double French
doors.
George set the book down and asked, “Is Stuart dead?”
Paul sat down in the next chair before answering, “No, sir. It turned out
not to be necessary.”
His father snapped, “
You didn’t have the nerve to do it; did you?
”

“It wasn’t a matter of nerve, Father. I sent the boys to his cabin to get
him to guide them into the forest where we’d kill him. I couldn’t go with
them because he’d recognize me. He told them that he couldn’t leave just
yet because he’d just returned after searching for his cousin’s body without
success. He still believes that it was an accident, so rather than risk causing
a commotion, I thought it best that we just leave. It was the smart thing to
do, Father.”

George tapped his pipe’s stem on his teeth as he thought about it. He had
to admit that it was the correct decision. If there had been a gunfight in
Colville, there would have been an investigation and repercussions that
might affect him.
“Alright. I believe that you acted properly. I’ll admit that you impressed
me, too. I’m still going to change my will so that you and John each get half
of the estate after I’m gone, but I won’t disinherit you.”
Paul was incredibly relieved and wondered if John had been busy in this
absence as well. It didn’t matter now and having half of his father’s estate
was still an enormous benefit. He just had to avoid giving John any more
chances to take it all.
“Do you have any other women that you’d prefer that I marry?”
“No. You know why I chose Karen; don’t you?”
“Her uncle owns the Fischer Mine and she’s his only relative after her
mother.”
“So, why did you go off and marry that Jewess?”
Paul knew he had to be careful with his answer. He couldn’t tell him that
Karen made his skin crawl or that he’d found Hannah to be exciting and
thought her attractiveness would be enough to overcome his father’s
objections. He hadn’t known about her Jewish heritage though. If he had, he
wouldn’t have been in this fix.

“I had to marry her, Father. I didn’t want to tell you because, well, she
threatened to expose me.”
 George, despite his serious dislike of anyone who wasn’t a white
Protestant, grinned and asked, “You had her; didn’t you? She was carrying
your child.”
Paul saw his grin and knew he’d bought the story, so he just nodded and
replied, “Yes, sir. I thought that I could just deny the accusation, but she
said that she would tell everyone about the birthmark that only someone
who has seen me without britches could know about. I had no choice.”
“Well, she’s gone now, so I don’t care who you marry as long as she’s
not another Jew or a Catholic. I want to meet her first, too. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir. Absolutely.”

“Now, let me get back to my book and you need to get a bath. You
stink.”

Paul stood and didn’t say another word before he hastily left the parlor.
His life had been restored and he didn’t have to marry Karen Brown. As he
climbed the stairs to his room, he snickered thinking how miserable John
would be for the rest of his life.
_____

Hannah and Keith had spent most of the day just talking as he removed
the bark from her crutch and then used a rock to smooth its surface. Smoke
had returned to his house near the porch to act as a watchdog in case Paul
and his boys decided to return.
When Keith finally slid under his blanket atop his mattress, he thought
that he’d have a difficult time falling asleep with the possibility of the
assassins making a delayed attempt in the dark. It would have been a
smarter plan than the fake hunting party. If they suspected that he’d been
watching them after they left, they could have just ridden beyond the
horizon and set up another camp. They didn’t know about Smoke, so that
wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. Yet he soon slipped into a deep sleep
despite his concerns.
 Hannah wasn’t worried about Paul or his henchmen. Her worries were
further in the future when Keith went to Spokane Falls. She knew that he
had to go and didn’t doubt that he would provide for her before he left. But
she still wished that somehow, he’d be able to find justice for Angus
without leaving Colville.
 CHAPTER 6
After making a big breakfast which included plenty of bacon, Keith
mounted Friday and left the cabin. He didn’t expect to be gone long and
after seeing the empty southern road, he felt confident that Hannah would
be safe.
As he approached the town, he wondered how long it would be before he
could go to Spokane Falls. He decided that now it would be all right to
bring Hannah into town to see Doc Crump. He doubted if the doctor would
be able to do much more than he already had, but he’d ask her when he
returned.

He pulled up in front of the jail, dismounted and after tying Friday’s

reins to the hitchrail, stepped onto the boardwalk and entered the sheriff’s
office.

Deputy Sheriff Colby Moore looked up and said, “Good morning,

Keith.”
“Morning, Colby. Is your boss in?”

“Nope. He’s making rounds this morning. He should be back in a little

while. I’m sorry about Angus. At least he didn’t know about Eva.”
Keith nodded then took off his hat and sat down in the chair that
threatened to collapse at any moment.

“That was a blessing in a way. I wasn’t sure how I was going to tell him.
Did the sheriff tell you everything that happened out there?”
“You mean about Mrs. Binder?”
“Exactly.”
 “Yup. He kinda had to tell me because he wanted me to keep an eye out
for any strangers.”

“Did you see the four men that rode into town yesterday?”
“Four strangers came into town, and I didn’t notice? When was that?”

“Yesterday morning. They showed up at my place and pretended that

they wanted me to take them on a hunting trip.”
“How the hell did I miss them?” Colby asked himself.

“I’ll tell you the rest when Bill comes back.”

“Okay. Oh, he left this for you. Judge Hastings wrote an order giving
you everything that Angus owned,” he said as he handed Keith a folded
sheet of paper.
“Thanks. I don’t know what I’ll do with his house, but I’ll figure
something out.”
As he was sliding the court order into his pocket, Sheriff Sheffield
walked through the open door and hung his hat on its regular peg.

“Did Colby give you the judge’s order?”

“Yes, sir. I need to tell you and Colby about what happened yesterday.”

The sheriff nodded as he picked up a cup and walked to the heat stove to
fill it with hot coffee then said, “Go ahead.”
“I spotted four men riding into town yesterday morning and figured
they’d been sent by Paul Binder to eliminate me. I’m sure that he believed
that I’d discovered the severed rope and Angus’ body and maybe his wife’s.
But I think I convinced the four men that I hadn’t found him and still
believed that it was an accident as Paul had told me. They left and must
have picked up Paul at a campsite before they all headed back to Spokane
Falls.”
 Sheriff Sheffield sipped his coffee then asked, “Do you think that they’ll
be coming back?”

“I don’t think so, but I’ll keep an eye on the road for a few days. I just
want you both to know if any more strangers show up in town.”
“What are you going to do with Mrs. Binder? Now that you have another
house in town, it might be better if you let her live here so we could keep an
eye on her while you take care of Paul Binder.”

“I thought about that and I’ll ask her when I return. I honestly would
prefer that she stays at the cabin.”
Colby snickered then said, “I wonder why.”

The sheriff glared at his young deputy but didn’t say anything.
But Keith said, “It’s not what you think, Colby. I really like her, and I
felt really empty after losing Angus and Eva. I won’t deny that she’s an
attractive woman and worthy of any man’s attention, but she’s still married
to that bastard who tried to kill her.”

“I’m sorry, Keith. I was just pulling your leg.”

“I know, Colby. I’m going to ask her if she wants to see the doc for her
injuries, so maybe I’ll introduce you. It might be a couple of days because
I’m still not convinced that Paul or his father won’t send more men to try to
silence me and I can’t let Paul find out that she’s still alive.”

The sheriff said, “I can understand that. You could make up a story about
who she is. Tell everyone she’s Eva’s cousin who came to pay her respects.”
“That’s not a bad idea, Bill. I’ll ask her about it later. She has to be a
distant cousin because she doesn’t look anything like Eva. She’s a good
eight inches taller and dark.”

Colby said, “Nobody will care that much, Keith.”

 “I reckon not. I’m going to head over to the bank and then I’ll spend a
little time at Angus’ house before I go back. Thanks for getting this done,
Bill.”

“No problem.”
Keith stood then turned and left the jail. He didn’t untie Friday but
crossed the street and after walking a block west, entered the Bank of
Colville. He didn’t even have to show the judge’s order to Norm Garfield
before the clerk shifted Angus’ balance to his account. It was only a little
over a hundred dollars, which didn’t surprise him. Unlike his own lifestyle,
Angus’ had expenses.

After leaving the bank, he continued on foot and walked to what was
now his house. It wasn’t as big as his cabin, but still had two bedrooms and
a separate kitchen. When he entered the house, he was overcome with a
deeper sense of loss than he had when he’d buried his cousin. As he went
from room to room, he could still smell Eva’s light scent. He smiled when
he found Angus’ hairbrush in the bathroom.
He sat in the small parlor and wondered what he would do with the
place. He didn’t want to sell it because it was all he had of his cousin now,
but it would be silly for him to keep it and leave it empty, too.

After a few minutes, he stood and walked to the kitchen. He pulled an

empty burlap bag from a shelf and began putting in foodstuff that he could
use. Eva preferred tea, and he decided to take it along in case Hannah liked
it. He never cared for it himself.
He left the house with the heavy bag over his shoulder and soon reached
Friday. He hung the bag from his saddle horn but didn’t put his foot into the
stirrup. Instead, he walked into the county offices to get the house’s deed
transferred. He did have to show them the judge’s order this time, but it
only took a few minutes to make the change.

Keith headed out of Colville just two hours after leaving his cabin and
had a lot of questions he needed to ask Hannah. He also needed to get more
details about the Binders, but at least that could wait. He figured it would be
at least four weeks before he headed south. He was determined to punish
Paul Binder for murdering Angus, but that delay would pose an unexpected
problem.

_____
Before he left the cabin, he’d given Hannah a deck of playing cards. Her
father had never allowed them into their house as they were tools of
temptation. Keith had shown her the basics of playing solitaire, so she’d
been sitting at the kitchen table playing for hours.

Even with Smoke outside, a loaded shotgun just a few feet away and a
Colt hanging from the chair, Hannah hadn’t felt at ease after Keith had gone
to town. She believed that he was right about Paul and his four gunmen
having gone back to Spokane Falls, but that tiny chance that they might
return still spooked her.
She didn’t hear Keith return until he opened the door. If she’d had been
able, she would have jumped to her feet and thrown herself into his arms.
All she could do was to smile and ask, “How did it go?”
“About as I expected,” he replied as he carried the burlap bag to the
pantry and set it down.

He then walked to the table, sat and said, “I explained everything to the
sheriff and Colby Moore, he’s the deputy sheriff. The sheriff gave me the
judge’s order, so I went to the bank, moved and closed Angus’ account then
had the deed changed at the courthouse.”
“How are you feeling after going to his house?”

“It was upsetting. I’d been there so often before but it seemed so much
different now.”
“Are you going to sell it?”
 “I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. The sheriff asked if you
wanted to live there.  He’d be able to protect you if you want to do that. I
was going to talk to Doctor Crump about your injuries, but decided I’d talk
to you first.”
“Do you want me to move into town?” she asked quietly.
“No, I don’t. Colby made an off-color comment about why you’re here,
but even as he apologized, I knew that what anyone else thought didn’t
matter.”

“I want to stay with you, Keith. I thought that I made that clear.”
“You did, but there are some advantages if you wanted to live in Angus’
house. You wouldn’t worry that they might come back. They wouldn’t even
think of going into town. I’d be able to hire a nurse and you could see the
doctor, too.”

“You’re my nurse and doctor. I’m not leaving.”

Keith smiled then replied, “That’s fine. But when I go to Spokane Falls, I
will have you stay there. By then you’ll be walking, and your ribs should be
better.”

“Alright. But it’ll just be temporary.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied.

Then after a short pause, he asked, “Do you know why I’m so pleased to
have you stay?”
She grinned before she answered, “I can think of a number of reasons.”

He matched her grin before saying, “So, can I. But what I finally realized
when I was in Angus and Eva’s house was that they were the only two
people who kept me from becoming a hermit. Not a true hermit because it’s
not in my nature. But a man who doesn’t have anyone to hear his secrets or
funny stories. I need you, Hannah. In a way, maybe it’s better that all we
can do is talk for a few weeks.”
 “I will admit that I thoroughly enjoy talking with you. No one else ever
really listened to what I had to say before.”

“You’re an interesting person, Hannah.”

“Did anything else happen while you were in town?”

“No, ma’am. I brought back some things from their pantry, including
Eva’s tin of tea. Do you drink tea?”
“No, sir. I drink coffee, water, beer and wine, but not tea.”

“How about some cider?” he asked with a big smile.

“That sounds wonderful. Is it hard cider or sweet?”
“We’ll find out. Maybe I should mark those barrels, so it’s not a surprise
anymore.”
“Surprises can be fun, as long as they don’t involve the Binders.”
Keith smiled before he stood to start making their lunch.
As he began slicing the bread, she asked, “Are you going to take any
jobs before you go to Spokane Falls?”
“No. That will make Bart Chilton and Willie Roberts happy. They’re the
other two guides in town.”
“I know that you keep telling me that I’m not a nuisance, but I still feel
that way.”
“You can feel that way all you want, but I don’t want to hear it anymore.
Now, if Colby Moore asked to live with me, he’d be a burden.”
Hannah laughed lightly then asked, “How long have you known him?”
“About two years. He moved here from Portland where he was a deputy
sheriff.”
“Is he married?”
 “No, ma’am. Do you want an introduction?”
“Maybe after you’ve returned me to good health.”
“I’d give you Angus’ house as wedding gift,” he replied without even
looking at her.
“Maybe. What does he look like?”
Keith did glance at her poker face this time before he replied, “Oh, I’d
say about three inches shorter than me and about a hundred and a half. He
has light brown hair and brown eyes.”
Hannah tilted her head as she said, “You just described Paul Binder.”
“Why, I hadn’t noticed the similarity until you mentioned it.”

Hannah had to restrain her laughter or face her ribs’ wrath, so she just
smiled and asked, “Does he really look like that bastard?”
“No. He’s actually a little shorter and has black hair and hazel eyes. All
kidding aside, when I go to Spokane Falls, I plan to move you to Angus’
house.”
“I can live with it for a few days, but I don’t know anyone in Colville.”
“You will by the time I leave. I’ll have to go to the house every few days
to keep it clean, so I’ll bring you with me and introduce you to the sheriff
and Colby. We’ll visit some of the stores and I’ll introduce you to folks.
Sheriff Sheffield suggested that I tell everyone that you’re Eva’s cousin, but
I don’t think that will work. Do you?”

“Even if I was a lot smaller, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I mean, why
would I be staying with you if I was Eva’s cousin? Nobody knew that she
had any family; did they?”
“No, ma’am. That’s another reason I don’t think it will work. We’ll come
up with something before I make my next trip into town. How is your
ankle?”
 “Why don’t you look and tell me? I thought it looked worse.”
“I’ll check after we have lunch.”
“Okay. My knee isn’t hurting much at all, but I think you’ll need to
check it too.”

Keith nodded, but wasn’t sure it was a good idea now that she wasn’t
wearing britches. He resumed his lunch preparation and knew it would be a
long four weeks as Hannah’s ankle and ribs healed.
As he sliced the bread, he asked, “What can you tell me about the
Binder’s layout in Spokane Falls?”

“Not much, I’m afraid. All I know is that their logging and sawmill
operations are east of town and his father’s house is on the west side. He
owns a lot of property and I lived with Paul in his own house. It was
smaller, of course, but it was still a lot bigger than your cabin.”
“How far are the trees from their houses?”
Hannah had to think about it for a few seconds before replying, “I’d say
about two hundred yards, but that’s only on the north side. Paul’s house was
about two hundred yards east of his father’s house but twice as far from the
trees.”
Keith nodded as he tried to visualize the setup. It wasn’t great, but four
hundred yards wasn’t that bad, either.
He asked Hannah for more details, so she described the landscape as
well as she could. He asked her about servants, and she’d told him that
George Binder kept a housekeeper and a cook in his house that he shared
with John, but Paul didn’t have any.
It was important to Keith that he didn’t hurt any innocents, but he didn’t
put George Binder in that category. He wasn’t sure about John Binder.

_____
 Paul didn’t run afoul of John that morning, but mainly because his
younger brother was already gone shortly after breakfast. He headed to the
sawmill which he would use almost as a refuge until things settled down.
After dismounting from his black gelding, he tied him off at the hitchrail
and entered the vast building. He had decided to continue wearing more
common clothing now that he wanted to project a different image. One of
his other changes was that he was now going to wear his Colt wherever he
went.
He wasn’t concerned about Keith Stuart any longer, but he was nervous
about Joe Babcock. When he’d paid them off, Joe had asked why he and
Arnie only got a hundred dollars while Al and Frank Martin each got two
hundred and fifty. He’d hoped that Al would answer his pointed question,
but Al just looked at him with a bit of a smirk.
After he’d given what he considered to be a satisfactory explanation, Joe
has rammed his cash into his pocket and strode off in a huff. Arnie had
thanked him for the hundred dollars because it was almost four months’
pay. Al and Frank had just walked away. Paul didn’t think that Joe was
really going to threaten him, but he might try to blackmail him. He could
just hint that Sheriff Gillis might be interested to learn what Paul had done
to his wife and the guide unless he was paid as much as the Martins. He
knew that if he did pay him, it wasn’t likely that the blackmail would end.
He’d already killed twice, and if Joe tried to extract more money from him,
then he’d be the third.
But he needed to see Sheriff Gillis this morning to give him his official
report of the tragic accident. When he did, he’d finally be free of the
woman who had almost cost him his inheritance. She’d cost him half, but
he suspected that John would have figured out a different way to do it
sooner or later.
After spending twenty minutes with Jack Folcroft just reviewing the
sawmill’s operations, he left the noisy building and mounted his gelding. As
he rode to the sheriff’s office, he approached her father’s shop and thought
that it would be expected that he informed him of his daughter’s death.
 He pulled up, dismounted then hesitated before tying off his horse’s
reins. He glanced both directions along the boardwalk as if he was going
into a brothel, but not seeing anyone who mattered, he tied off his horse and
entered the shop.
He spotted her father at the counter talking to Sheriff Gillis and he
almost turned around and left, but Hiram Smith had seen him, so he knew
that it was no longer an option.
Paul pulled off his hat and slowly approached the counter as both men
stared at him. He wondered if Joe Babcock had already spilled the beans to
her father or maybe even his brother had told them. It would have been his
big chance to get it all, but he wasn’t sure that he’d want to shame the
family name by doing it.
“I was on my way to see you, Tom,” Paul said, “but I thought I should
stop here first to tell Mister Smith.”
“Why would you want to see me, Paul?” the sheriff asked.

Paul looked at his face and he wasn’t sure if he was a good poker player
or really hadn’t heard the news.
“I needed to make a report, but it was more important that I talk to
Mister Smith first.”
Hiram glared at the man who’d taken away his daughter. He had just
arranged for her to marry his cousin’s son but hadn’t told her yet. Josef Levi
lived in St. Louis with his parents and they’d been exchanging letters for
more than six months. It was so close and then that rich gentile Paul Binder
had seduced her and taken her away. He was almost as angry about having
to write the letter to Josef as he was about seeing Binder in his shop again.
“What do you want?” he asked angrily.

Paul glanced at the sheriff before meeting Hiram’s glare and replying, “I
have terrible news for you, Mister Smith. I took Hannah out to the
wilderness so we could have some private time together. We…”
 Hiram quickly interrupted him by saying, “I don’t care what happened. I
have no daughter.”

“But you need to know that she died tragically.”

“She died when you took her from this house. Get out!”
In the stunned silence that followed Hiram’s outburst, the sheriff said,
“I’ll pick up those candlesticks later, Hiram.”
Hiram didn’t even acknowledge the sheriff as he continued to glare at
Paul.
The sheriff took Paul’s elbow and tugged him away from the counter. He
knew that Hiram kept a loaded Colt under the shelf and was concerned that
he may use it to kill Paul Binder.
Once he had Paul outside, Sheriff Gillis asked, “What happened, Paul?”

Paul then gave his account of the tragedy and watched the sheriff’s eyes
closely. He needed Sheriff Gillis to believe every word.
When he finished, the sheriff said, “Well, I appreciate that you let me
know, but that’s not in my county. Did you stop and talk to Sheriff Sheffield
in Colville?”
“No, sir. I was almost lost when I headed back and left the forest well
south of the town. Do you think I should head back to let them know about
it?”
“No. It wouldn’t serve any purpose. If you told Keith Stuart about it, I’m
sure that he’s already informed Bill Sheffield. That must have been pretty
hard on Keith, losing Angus so soon after Eva and the baby’s death.”

“Did you know them?”

“I’ve been up there a few times and met both of them. I was mighty
impressed with Keith, but as far as I knew, Angus and Eva were his only
family.”
 “That’s what he told me. I was going to go to town anyway to tell the
widow and give her all the money I had with me, but Stuart told me that
she’d died. I could see how sad he was even before I told him about his
cousin.”

Tom Gillis nodded then said, “There’s no reason to stop by the office
now. I’d stay away from Hiram, though. He was right mad after you
married Hannah and I’m not sure if he’ll get even angrier now that she’s
dead.”
“But he said that he believed her to be dead after she left.”
“What he said and how he feels are probably two different things, Paul.
He may have not wanted her back again, but she was still his only child.
You might want to think about that.”
“I will. Thanks, Tom.”

The sheriff waved and headed back to his office while Paul mounted.
Once in the saddle, he looked back at the shop and wondered if the sheriff
was right. He couldn’t imagine the man coming after him, but it was
another reason for him to keep his pistol close.
He turned his gelding back to the west. He’d tell his father about his
meeting with the sheriff but wouldn’t mention Hannah’s father’s reaction.
He’d just return to his normal life before he’d met Hannah. He was in no
rush to marry again, but he’d still live in the house that he’d had built when
he thought he was going to marry Karen Brown. If John married her, he
could build his own.

_____
Keith looked at Hannah’s ugly ankle and despite its nasty coloring, he
thought it was improving.
“The swelling is going down, and all that dead blood is making your
ankle and foot look like an overripe apple. I’m going to get a bucket of cold
water so you can soak it for a while. Okay?”
 “If it makes it numb, then I’ll be very grateful. Are you going to make
sure my knee is better now?”
“If you insist, but I don’t think I’ll find any problems.”
“I do insist, Mister Stuart.”
“I wonder why,” he said.
He slid his hand behind her knee and pulled it forward. She only
grimaced slightly, and he wasn’t sure if it was to convince him that it was
still causing her pain or if it was because of her ankle.

After a quick examination, he leaned back in his chair and said, “It
seems normal now, ma’am. You seemed to experience some discomfort, but
I’m assuming that was from your ankle.”
“It was. Thank you. Now all I need to do is get my ankle looking like an
ankle and my ribs to behave themselves.”
“That might not take that long. You’re young, so you’ll heal faster. I’ll
get the bucket of water.”
He stood and walked to the pantry where he picked up the bucket. He
returned to the pump and filled it two-thirds of the way before setting it on
the floor near her foot.
She slowly lowered it into the bucket then said, “I wish my feet weren’t
so big. They can’t go all the way to the bottom.”
“I can cut off your toes if you’d like.”

Hannah snickered then replied, “No, thank you. I’ll manage. It’s too bad
that you found the sweet cider for lunch. I was almost hoping that I’d be
sipping the hard cider.”
“I can get you some if you’d like.”

“Maybe for dinner. This does feel good, though.”

 “We’ll keep doing it then. I’m going to gather a bushel of apples and
some cherries for those pies that I promised to bake for you. I’ll be back in
about twenty minutes.”
“I’ll be sitting here waiting for my ankle to get numb.”
Keith smiled then left the cabin. Out of habit, he scanned the southern
horizon but didn’t see anyone coming. He thought about riding into the
forest to check out their campsite but didn’t want to leave Hannah alone if it
was unnecessary. There was nothing that he could gain from finding it
anyway.
_____
Over the next two weeks, nothing momentous changed in either Colville
or in Spokane Falls.
Hannah had accompanied Keith into town twice and he’d introduced her
to the sheriff and Colby. Because they knew who she was, he didn’t need to
invent a new identity for her. When he brought her to the dry goods store,
no one had asked about her, probably out of courtesy. He’d taken her to
Angus’ house, and she felt guilty when she saw their bedroom despite
knowing that she wasn’t responsible for Angus’ death. But those two visits
had made her less comfortable about living in the house, even for just a few
days while Keith went to Spokane Falls. Her ankle was looking better, and
her ribs hurt less, but she almost wished that she wasn’t healing this rapidly.
Each day, Keith had been growing more comfortable having Hannah
living with him and was pleased to see the obvious improvement in her
ankle. He hadn’t had to inspect her knee again but the soaking in cold water
seemed to help her ankle. The swelling had gone down to where it was
barely noticeable, but the discoloration hadn’t come close to disappearing.
She had become more accustomed to using her crutch and was able to move
better.
But after living with Hannah for more than two weeks, he began to
realize that he had a growing problem. It wasn’t one that one would
normally expect with two young people living together. It was that he was
enjoying her company so much.

She kept him entertained with her wit and made him think when they
discussed serious topics. It was a whole new life for him; one that hadn’t
existed with Angus and Eva. They had been his family, but they lived in
town and had each other. Hannah was always with him and had not
replaced Angus and Eva, but had carved her own place in his heart, mind
and soul. He realized that it was becoming a problem when they had
stopped at Angus’ house and he no longer felt either the oppressive sadness
or smoldering anger when he entered.
Hannah had quickly become much more important to him and now he
was worried that he might let his affection for her shatter his resolve to
make Paul Binder suffer for his crimes. It had only been a little over two
weeks since he’d found her, and he had to keep the vision fresh of Angus’
body laying awkwardly on the rocks. He couldn’t let Paul Binder escape
unscathed.
Hannah’s concerns were directly opposed to Keith’s. Even before they
had reached his cabin, she knew that she wanted to stay with him. She
didn’t care about Paul Binder, and wished that he’d only tried to kill her. If
he hadn’t cut that rope, then she didn’t doubt that she’d be able to convince
Keith to stay away from Spokane Falls.
She hadn’t mentioned what was bothering her because she didn’t want to
hear his plans to go to Spokane Falls. She almost believed that if she didn’t
say anything, he might let it go.
_____
In Spokane Falls, Paul had returned to his routine before he had married
Hannah. His father had the marriage annulled because there wasn’t a death
certificate. He still wore his pistol, but after two weeks without any
problems from Joe Babcock, he thought that there wouldn’t be any
repercussions.
 John was still courting Karen Brown, and he’d adjusted to seeing them
together. He’d even congratulated them and believed that John was satisfied
with his half of the estate. John had even begun construction on another
house for him and Karen, so he didn’t have to move back to his father’s
home.

He hadn’t seen any women yet because he was technically still in

mourning. But he thought three months would be sufficient, then he’d visit
Missy Granger. She was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed vixen who’d attracted
his attention before he saw Hannah. She was certainly not Jewish, and he
knew that her family attended their church, so she wasn’t Catholic either.
His father should be pleased.
Joe Babcock had actually thought about blackmailing Paul, but Al
Martin had talked him out of it. He suggested that Sheriff Gillis was
probably well aware of what had really happened and if he tried to tell the
sheriff, it wouldn’t be the boss’ son who would be behind bars. Joe had
been mollified but was still unhappy. How he could get express his
displeasure was the problem.

_____
Thursday, October 25, 1888
Hannah stood without her crutch and took her first step on her damaged
ankle. Her ribs still ached, but that was all. Her ankle looked normal and
hadn’t hurt that badly when Keith had checked it. He stood nearby with his
arms folded watching.
She almost wanted to sprain it again because she believed that if she
walked without pain, he’d leave tomorrow. They hadn’t so much as
mentioned his pending departure for the last month, and she still hoped that
he wouldn’t leave.
Hannah stepped carefully away from the bed and it was with a mixture
of relief and hidden fear that she didn’t experience any pain at all. It was
stiff, but she knew that wouldn’t last long.
 “How is it?” Keith asked.

“It’s good. I think I can walk with just a hitch in my step now.”
Keith grinned as he said, “That’s wonderful. Now you can take over
cooking.”
Hannah laughed without worrying about her ribs before she replied,
“You’ve set the standard pretty high, Mister Stuart, but I’ll do my best.”
“I’m just glad to get back to doing manly things.”
“You’ve turned down three jobs since I’ve been here. Are you going to
take the next one?”
“Not yet. Let’s see how you move now.”

She nodded and began to slowly walk around the bedroom. She had been
hoping that he’d agree to take the next group that arrived at their door. She
knew that he was happy having her live with him but wasn’t sure if it was
enough to keep him from making that dangerous trip.
“I’m going to walk to the kitchen table now.”

“You seem to be moving well, Hannah.”

She smiled as she passed him and exited the bedroom. She had to admit
that she wasn’t feeling that much discomfort and maybe he wouldn’t sleep
on the mattress outside of the bedroom tonight. She didn’t doubt that he
wanted to join her, and believed that it was her injuries had been the main
inhibitor.
She wasn’t worried about her vows or that piece of paper in the Spokane
County courthouse. She thought of Keith as her husband now despite the
lack of a consummation. She hadn’t asked him to join her because she
wasn’t sure of his reaction. The better she knew him, the more she believed
that he’d decline her offer because she was still a married woman. She
would only ask if he still planned to go to Spokane Falls.
 Keith watched Hannah walk away and knew that it was almost time to
go. He had been fighting a battle every second he’d spent with Hannah and
most of the time he wasn’t. He kept reminding himself about what Paul had
done to Angus and how he’d tried to kill Hannah, but he was beginning to
worry about what would happen when he went to Spokane Falls.
He still hadn’t developed a plan about how to deal with Paul Binder, but
whatever it was, it would put him in harm’s way. He’d already made a last
will and given it to the sheriff for safekeeping, so Hannah wouldn’t be
without support. He just didn’t want to lose her. He knew how she felt as
well, but what kind of a man would he be if he just let Paul Binder enjoy his
life after what he’d done? He couldn’t live with that unfulfilled promise
hanging over his head for the rest of his life. He couldn’t face his Maker
and Angus if he didn’t find justice for his cousin.
He’d have to leave within a week but needed to come up with at least the
outline of plan before he did.
He shook his head and followed Hannah to the table to talk about
something that had nothing to do with Spokane Falls.
But as they talked, each of them could sense the tension that hadn’t
existed before, and both understood what had caused it.
The unexpected friction told Keith that he’d better get his plans made
soon.
_____

John and Karen Brown announced their marriage date of December 7

th
,
which gave Paul another measure of relief. He had noticed that John wasn’t
as pleased with her as he’d been in the beginning and hoped that they didn’t
call it off. If they did, then it was possible that his father would order him to
marry her.
While he hadn’t been visiting Missy Granger officially, after John and
Karen’s wedding, he’d ask to court her. He knew that by then, John would
be more than just jealous. He’d feel as if he’d been tricked into marrying
the woman that Paul was supposed to take for a wife.
In the past few weeks, he hadn’t given a thought to Keith Stuart. As far
as he was concerned, the guide was happily escorting hunting parties into
the forests. He had no worries at all except for any shenanigans that John
might try in the next month or so.
_____
Over the next four days, Keith spent a lot of time on his plans to deliver
justice to Paul Binder. He had drawn a map of the Binder properties using
Hannah’s information, but it really hadn’t helped much. He finally decided
that he’d just take Smoke and Beggar as a packhorse then enter the forest
west of town before he reached Spokane Falls. He’d reconnoiter the place
and maybe he’d be inspired.
Hannah had felt the tension between them rising each day after she
began walking and suspected that the only way it would end is if she asked
him if he was still planning to leave for Spokane Falls. She could sense his
own difficulties and even understood why he had them. She didn’t doubt
that he wanted desperately to stay with her but felt honor-bound to leave.
She didn’t have that same need to punish Paul Binder and only wanted
him to remain with her. She simply couldn’t understand how Keith could
place their own happiness over a need for revenge. Her problem was that
she saw it as revenge and Keith understood it to be justice.
_____
That evening, as they shared apple pie and coffee in the lamplight, Keith
knew that he had to leave tomorrow. Hannah was moving much better
already, so he’d have to tell her that he’d be taking her to Angus’ house in
the morning then leaving for Spokane Falls the next day. He wasn’t sure
how she’d react, but he really had no choice. It had to be now, or he may
never leave at all.
 He took a sip of coffee, then smiled at her and said, “We’ll be going into
town tomorrow. We’ll pack your things, and you can move into Angus’
house. I’ll stock the pantry, too.”

Hannah hadn’t been surprised, so she quietly asked, “How long before
you leave?”
Keith was relieved by her soft response and replied, “On Wednesday
morning. I’ll take Smoke and use Beggar as a packhorse, but I won’t go into
Spokane Falls. I’ll set up a camp in the forest west of town.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“I already told Horace Laughton to let you buy what you need, but you
can go to the bank and withdraw some money if you run short.”
“When did you do that? Don’t I have to sign anything?”
“I just asked them to put you on the account. If you need money, they’ll
have you sign the account.”
“Alright,” she said before taking a sip of coffee.
Keith wasn’t sure of what he should say now that he’d told her that he
was leaving. They’d avoided any mention of their growing affection for
each other for whatever reason, and he wasn’t sure if it was the right time to
tell her now.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Hannah. When I come back, I’ll show you
how to shoot the Winchester. Okay?”
“Is that all that you’re going to tell me, Keith? You’ll teach me how to
shoot a rifle and think that’s all I want to hear?”
“No, Hannah. I just wasn’t sure that I should tell you what I wanted to
say. You know how I feel about you.”
“No, I don’t. I want to hear you tell me. Tell me now, Keith.”
 He reached across the table and took her hands in his before he looked
into her dark eyes and said, “I love you, Hannah. I wish I could stay with
you, but I can’t. After I return, I’ll marry you. Is that good enough?”

“I love you too, Keith. I’ve loved you almost from the start, but I
couldn’t do anything but talk to you. Now I’m better and I want you to
make love to me. Will you make me your wife before you take me into
Colville tomorrow?”
“I want to, Hannah. Trust me, I want to be with you more than you can
imagine, but not until I return. Do you understand?”
“Is it because you still think of me as a married woman, Keith? That
makes no sense to me at all. Paul tried to murder me. How could you
believe that he’s still my husband?”
Keith took a deep breath before he replied, “I’ll admit that I see that as a
problem, but I’m more concerned that I might leave you with a child.”
“So, what? I want to have your children, Keith. Whether we make one
tonight or a week from now, what difference does it make?”
“Because in a week, I know that I’ll still be alive. I don’t want to leave
you alone and pregnant, Hannah.”
“Then don’t go!” she shouted as she ripped her hands free.
Keith was startled by her unexpected explosive reaction, but quietly said,
“I can’t stay, Hannah. I owe it to Angus and to you to make Paul Binder pay
for what he did.”
“I don’t care that he tried to kill me. This is just revenge for what he did
to Angus; isn’t it?”
“No. It’s not revenge. How can I live with myself knowing that my
cousin’s murderer is enjoying his life of privilege after watching Angus
plunge to his death? He needs to know that he isn’t safe from justice,
Hannah. And if I don’t provide that justice, then he’ll just float through life
believing he can do anything.”

Hannah began to understand his reasoning, but still wasn’t pleased with
his decision to leave.
“What if you die trying to deliver that justice? Won’t you allow me one
night to give you my love? I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if you don’t
return.”

Keith was sorely tempted. He was every bit as anxious as Hannah was to
express his own love for her, but Eva’s recent death in childbirth was the
final weight in his decision.
“I wish I could more than you’ll ever imagine, Hannah. I promise that
I’ll be very careful, and I’ll do all that I can to return to you soon.”
Hannah didn’t say another word, but stood and walked quickly away
from the table, entered the bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
Keith sighed and thought about knocking on the bedroom door then
going inside to talk to her again but doubted if he had the strength to leave
if he did. He finished his coffee, then cleared the table and washed the
dishes. He was hoping that Hannah would come back outside after she’d
calmed down, but the bedroom door remained closed.

He pulled off his boots and socks, then walked to his mattress where he
stripped off his shirt before lying down.
Keith lay in the darkness staring into the ceiling he couldn’t see. His
decision about going to Spokane Falls has become a barrier between them
but he couldn’t stay. He hoped that she would be in a better mood in the
morning when he moved her to Angus’ house. He’d have to tell the sheriff
what he was going to do and hoped that Colby really didn’t try to impress
Hannah in his absence. He still believed that he’d be able to deal with Paul
Binder and return within a week.
 CHAPTER 7
Keith drove the buckboard back to the cabin after leaving Hannah in
town. Her mood hadn’t improved a bit when she left the bedroom that
morning and she had barely spoken to him before he left Angus’ house.
After spending a few minutes with Sheriff Sheffield and Deputy Moore,
he left town in a sour mood. If anything, Hannah’s continued bad temper
made it easier for him to leave. If she’d been pleasant, he would have found
it much more difficult to leave her.
He reached the empty cabin and began to prepare for tomorrow’s long
ride. The first thing he’d do was something that had come to him soon after
he’d told Hannah that he was leaving. He needed to let Paul know that his
pain wasn’t random and who was making him suffer.
He took Angus’ hatchet with its chipped blade. He’d never sharpened it
simply because he’d forgotten about it, but now he was glad that it was still
damaged.
He heated his knife’s blade on the cookstove and burned five letters into
the pine handle. When he finished, the light wood was emblazoned with: I
KNOW.
Keith still had no idea how he’d leave it or where, but he wanted Paul
Binder to be afraid before he faced justice.
The rest of his preparations were fairly standard for him. He’d pack as if
he was leading a hunting party. He would be taking a normal stock of
supplies and equipment as well as his Winchester, the Sharps-Borshadt, and
his bow and arrows.

It was even that much farther than he’d gone before, so Smoke wouldn’t
be overstressed. He’d stay off the road, so no one would see him. It would
be a slower journey, but he thought it was a smart thing to do.
Before noon, he was ready to go and thought about leaving today but
tossed that idea aside. He wanted a good night’s sleep before he started out
and he definitely hadn’t slept well last night.
He checked Beggar and Friday’s shoes before he returned to the cabin.
He had thought about letting Hannah take Wednesday with her but figured
she wouldn’t be riding much while he was gone anyway. He did leave
Angus’ Colt and his shotgun in the house with her. He knew it was highly
unlikely that she’d need either, but thought she’d feel more comfortable
having the protection.
____
Hannah sat at the kitchen table and was ashamed of herself. She had
barely slept last night and knew that she had been wrong to ask him to join
her in the bed or even to stay at all. She wasn’t his wife and had no right to
pressure him to change his mind. Yet when she’d seen him that morning,
her stubbornness refused to let her apologize or even to modify her bad
behavior.
Now she was alone again, and she didn’t have any means to ride out to
the cabin to talk to him before he left. If she was convinced that her ankle
was completely healed, she would have walked the mile and a half, but
wasn’t sure that he hadn’t already gone.
“You idiot!” she exclaimed before standing and walking to the
cookstove.

She’d make herself some coffee but wasn’t planning to even leave the
house until Keith walked through that door in a week. By then, she should
be a widow and there would never be another barrier between them.
_____

Early the next morning, despite another equally troubled night of sleep,
Keith packed Beggar for the trip. He added the short length of the cut rope
to the packs before he saddled Friday. He led Wednesday and the mule into
the corral where there was enough water and hay for at least a week then
did one final check.

He had plenty of ammunition and a dozen arrows with two different

points. Eight had razor-sharp hunting tips and the other four had rounded
target points. It was then that he saw a possible method to deliver justice to
Paul Binder. He emptied one of his canteens and filled it with kerosene
from the barn’s lamp. He had plenty of rags and took an old shirt that was
stained badly with his own blood from years ago and stuffed it into one of
Beggar’s packs.
Keith finished his inspection before he mounted Friday and looked down
at Smoke.

“Let’s go visit the bastard who tried to kill Hannah.”

Smoke didn’t reply before Keith set Friday to a walk and exited the barn
trailing Beggar. He soon left his property and headed south. He had
modified his plans slightly in that he’d stay on the road until he spotted
oncoming traffic. The forests were always near, so he’d be able to disappear
soon after seeing anyone. It was still early, so if someone left Spokane
Falls, he wouldn’t see them for a while. There were farms and ranches
along the way, but most of their owners went to the larger town for supplies.

He still thought about Hannah and how upset she’d been. He thought he
knew her well enough before, but the persistence of her anger had surprised
him. He wasn’t sure if he’d pushed her away by refusing her invitation but
hoped that she hadn’t been that upset.
_____

Paul had no worries at all that morning. The construction work on John
and Karen’s house was well along and his earlier concerns that John might
get cold feet had evaporated. John had been almost cordial to him that
morning and even asked if he had been visiting Missy Granger yet. Their
father seemed enormously pleased with his sons and had appeared to be
even happier that Paul was seeing Missy.

Today, he’d ride to the sawmill and spend most of the day there. He
wanted to become more accepted by the workers, including the Martin
brothers, Arnie Jones, and especially Joe Babcock. He hadn’t talked to them
much over the past few weeks and thought that Joe had finally accepted his
payment as reasonable. On the face of it, he should have been on his knees
thanking Paul for the money. All he’d done was to avoid work for a few
days and make a ride to Colville. For that he was paid a hundred dollars and
even though it was less than half of what he’d paid each of the Martin
brothers, Joe shouldn’t complain.
_____
Shortly after noon, Keith still hadn’t spotted any oncoming traffic and
estimated that he was about twenty-five miles north of Spokane Falls. He’d
kept Friday at a comfortable pace, so he wasn’t concerned about his horses.
Smoke seemed bored and had only perked up when Keith had tossed him a
large chunk of smoked venison.
He continued on the road for another two hours before he thought it was
time to head for the trees. He angled Friday to his right and after crossing
about three hundred yards of clear ground entered his comfort zone.

Once in the forest, he turned south again. He could still spot any traffic
on the road if he stopped at the gaps but didn’t see the need. He knew that
they wouldn’t see him and that was what was important. He’d keep riding
for another four hours and hopefully he’d wind up close to the Binder
property. Once he had established their location, he’d set up camp in the
forest a mile or so from the house. His plan was still in its infancy, so he
needed to flesh it out after he had a better understanding of the layout.
The traffic he spotted now was all on four feet. He’d seen a lot of deer
while he’d been on the road, but now that he was in the forest, he began
spotting the predators. He saw three black bears but no grizzlies. He’d seen
signs of wolves yet hadn’t caught sight of any of the ones who’d made
them. There were still deer everywhere and lots of small critters who were
more concerned about the coyotes and hawks than the bears and wolves.
This was his world for most of his life and he wasn’t sure how much
Hannah would affect it in the future. That assumed he’d be returning safely,
and Hannah still wouldn’t be angry with him.

There was one other thing that he wanted to do while he was in Spokane
Falls and he should do it before he dealt with Paul Binder. He needed to tell
Hannah’s father that she was still alive. He didn’t believe for an instant that
he wouldn’t be ecstatic with the news. Hannah may have believed that he
didn’t want her back, but Keith couldn’t imagine that any parent wouldn’t
be overjoyed to learn that a child whom they had thought to be lost wasn’t.
He might even ask that Keith return Hannah to his house, which would be
another issue he’d have to handle. But he still believed that it was both
necessary and the right thing to do.
He hadn’t asked Hannah where her father lived or where his shop was,
so he’d have to ask someone in town. It would be somewhat risky, but he
knew he had to do it early tomorrow morning.

_____
He’d angled more to the southwest as he wound his way through the
trees. His mental clock kept him abreast of the passing time which he
subconsciously converted into distance. As he drew closer to his
destination, he began searching for potential campsites. He marked each
one as the sun dropped closer to the horizon and when he left the tree line,
he spotted buildings less than a half a mile away. He turned back into the
trees and walked Friday due west through the forest for another ten minutes
before he turned left again. This time, as he neared the edge of the forest, he
heard the unmistakable sounds of construction. He pulled up and
dismounted, then pulled his field glasses from his saddlebags.

He stepped a few feet closer and saw the source of the banging and loud
orders followed by occasional smart aleck replies. He used his field glasses
to examine the site and was sure that he’d found the Binder property. He
had no idea why they’d be building what looked like another house, but
there was one large house and a smaller house with a large stable to the
west. He didn’t see anyone moving except the workers, but he knew that
Paul Binder lived alone in the small house.
He still didn’t have a firm plan yet, so after a few more minutes of
reconnaissance, he walked back to Friday and after returning his field
glasses to his saddlebags, he mounted and wheeled his gelding about. He
didn’t want to set up his camp too close to the house, so he continued north
for another eight hundred yards or so to the last decent camping location
he’d seen.
He pulled up near a small pond, dismounted and began to unpack
Beggar. He’d brought the same tent that Hannah had used and would set it
up tonight, but he suspected that he’d only be using it once. Whatever he
came up with would have to start tomorrow. Then he’d need to be able to
move quickly.

Keith had his camp finished within forty minutes. Friday and Beggar
were grazing nearby, and Smoke was ripping apart a good-sized piece of
smoked bear meat. He’d built a fire to keep out the chill and wasn’t worried
about being spotted.
As he ate his supper, he felt lonely, which surprised him. He’d gone into
the wilderness hundreds of times by himself over the years and hadn’t had
the feeling before. He’d exulted in his solitude almost as if it was a victory
over nature, but now as he sat before his warming fire, he felt isolated and
almost abandoned. He knew why, and she was fifty miles away in Angus’
house. He’d never stayed in his cabin for more than a week before, yet he’d
stayed with Hannah for more than a month. He’d become so accustomed to
having her with him that she’d become much more important than even
Angus had been. Maybe he should have accepted her offer and stayed with
her rather than risk losing her or his life to punish Paul Binder.

He gave his almost empty plate to Smoke before he stood and walked to
the tarp that covered his gear. He pulled up the edge and pulled out Angus’
hatchet. In the low light of the fire, he looked at the words he’d carved on
the handle: I KNOW. He needed the reinforcement to finish what he’d
vowed to do.

“I’ll make him pay for what he did to you, Angus. I’m sorry for being so
selfish and even thinking about going back before finding justice for you.”
He set the hatchet back onto the tarp and folded it over. After making a
wide perimeter check with Smoke, he returned to his campsite and put out
his fire
Satisfied that he was ready, he slid into the tent. Tomorrow, he’d leave
his campsite in Smoke’s care, then ride east until he reached the road again.
He’d enter Spokane Falls, find Hannah’s father then return to his campsite
and prepare to deal with Paul Binder. He still had no idea what to expect
from Hiram Smith, but he didn’t even care if her father ran to Paul Binder
to warn him. It sounded beyond ludicrous, but he couldn’t understand why
he would have almost driven Hannah from his house either.
_____
Hannah lay on the bed in the spare bedroom rather than try to sleep in
the one where Eva had died. It was eerie enough just staying in the same
house. She only had residual aches from her injuries, so she should have
been able to fall asleep easily. But she was so troubled with how she’d
behaved that sleep wouldn’t take her.
She thought that she would just stay in the house until Keith returned,
but as she laid awake, she suddenly decided that she was tired of behaving
like an invalid. She had a horse waiting for her at the cabin and she had a
pistol and a shotgun. Her mind shifted from guilt and worry to active
planning. She couldn’t just race down to Spokane Falls after Keith because
she doubted that she’d be able to find him. She couldn’t even go to the town
because she would probably mess up whatever he was planning to do.
Her mind raced with possibilities, but after almost twenty minutes of
feverish thought, she realized that there was nothing she could really do to
help him. Whatever plan popped into her mind was immediately cast aside
for one reason or another.

Hannah quietly cursed as she lay in the darkness. She was healthy and
had all the resources she needed, but she was just as useless as she’d been
when she’d been lying at the bottom of the cliff.
Her hands were clenched into fists in frustration before she finally
drifted into sleep.

_____
Early the next morning, Keith was in the saddle and looked down at
Smoke as he said, “Stay with Beggar.”
The only word that mattered to Smoke was ‘stay’, so he sat down and
watched as Keith rode away.
Keith had the sunlight pouring through the trees to act as his compass, so
he rode east at a reasonable clip. He wanted to get into town early so there
was less likelihood that he’d run into anyone he knew. He had debated
about seeing Sheriff Gillis because he’d only met him a few times and
didn’t know him that well. He hadn’t met either of his deputies, either. He
knew that the sheriff was honest, but one of his deputies might be chummy
with Paul Binder and that would be the end of his mission.

He’d stick with his original plan and now he’d filled in a lot of the
blanks. It was important for Paul to know that he was being punished for his
crimes and that it wasn’t just revenge. That was the purpose of the hatchet.
He’d sneak into Paul’s small house and leave the branded hatchet in a
conspicuous place. He’d wait a few minutes after Paul entered his house
before launching his attack. He’d use his Winchester to keep him inside
then launch fire arrows into his house. He suspected that either his father or
brother would come to help, but he’d keep them away until the blaze was
well underway.
 It had been an uncomfortable plan because it almost smacked of
cowardice, but he doubted that he’d be able to lure Paul Binder into facing
him man to man. That was obvious when he’d sent four men to kill him but
had remained in the forest.

He exited the trees and turned southeast. Spokane Falls appeared in the
morning sun before he even reached the road. He could see road traffic
ahead and hoped that he didn’t attract attention.
He soon reached their main thoroughfare and turned east. He had no idea
where he might find Hannah’s father, so as he walked Friday, he scanned
the stores and shops. It wasn’t until he neared the end of the street that he
spotted the sign H. Smith, Silversmith.
Keith pulled up and dismounted, tied off Friday’s reins then took a deep
breath and crossed the boardwalk.
After opening the door, he found Hannah’s father talking to a customer.
She was an older woman and was animatedly describing what she wanted
inscribed on her silver teapot.

Keith took the time to study the small shop. There weren’t many items
on the shelves which was understandable. But he was impressed with the
quality of his work. He noticed a silver figure that intrigued him. He picked
up the four-inch tall statue and turned it over to see the price. It was fifteen
dollars, which he thought was undervalued. He decided that he’d buy it
before he told her father that Hannah was alive.
He walked back to the counter and waited as the woman continued to
impress the importance of having perfect script on her teapot.

Hiram nodded and said, “It will be perfect, Mrs. Wallace. I promise.”
“When will it be ready? I’m having a formal tea party next Wednesday.”
“I’ll have it for you in two days.”
“Just make sure that it’s perfect.”
 “Yes, ma’am.”

Mrs. Wallace glanced at Keith before she strode from the shop. He was
almost sorry for Mister Wallace without having any idea who he was. If he
was lucky, she was a widow.
Keith set the statue on the counter and said, “This is very good work. I
think you priced it too low.”

As Keith pulled the bills from his pocket, Hiram replied, “I’ve never had
any customers tell me that my prices were too low. You’re new around here;
aren’t you?”
After handing him the money, Keith answered, “Yes, sir. I live up in
Colville.”
Hiram slipped the payment into his cash drawer then asked, “Why did
you come to Spokane Falls?”
“I came to deliver justice to the man who murdered my cousin. I know
that his killer would never even be charged for his crime, but he knows
what he did.”
“Why don’t you see Sheriff Gillis? He’s an honest man and I’m sure
he’d listen.”
“He might be sympathetic, but he won’t be able to do anything. The
murderer would simply tell his side of the story and it would be his word
against mine. He’s the son of a rich and powerful man and I’m sure that
your county prosecutor wouldn’t even think of charging him.”
“May I ask who this man is?”
“Paul Binder.”
Hiram’s pleasant demeanor shifted immediately as he spat, “Binder. I
don’t want to hear that bastard’s name.”
“What did he do to you?”
 “He took my daughter, my only child. She married him against my
wishes.”
“He lives in Spokane Falls, so why didn’t you stop it?”
“She knew that I didn’t want her to marry a gentile, but she defied me.
As far as I was concerned, she was dead the moment she walked out of my
house. Binder came here last month to tell me that she had died in the
forest, but it no longer mattered to me. When did he kill your cousin?”

“Just after he tried to kill Hannah. My cousin was going down the cliff
using a rope when Paul Binder cut it, sending him to his death.”
Hiram stared at Keith in silence for half a minute before he realized that
Keith had said, 'tried’ to kill Hannah.
Keith saw Hiram’s revelation but just waited to hear his reaction. He was
hoping to see tears of relief and joy appear on her father’s face, but he was
disappointed.
Hiram just said, “Thank you for your business.”
Knowing that Hannah’s father wasn’t about to change his attitude toward
his daughter, he scooped up his carving and left the shop.
After he mounted Friday, he turned his gelding west to leave town. As he
headed for the road out of town, he thought that he understood Hannah a
little better. She may have rejected her father’s beliefs, but he’d infused her
with his stubbornness. He’d witnessed it the day he’d left her at Angus’
house. At the time, he couldn’t understand why she had reacted so angrily
to his decision to leave her and why her anger had been so entrenched, but
now he could.

He turned north and soon left the town behind. He checked his backtrail
before turning west into the forest just in case anyone followed. He didn’t
think that Hiram would tell anyone that he’d visited. He hadn’t told him his
name, but he wasn’t sure if Binder had included it when he’d told Hiram
about Hannah’s death. It probably didn’t matter anyway.
 He disappeared into the trees and followed his own path to his campsite.
He shouldn’t have been surprised by her father’s reaction, but it still
bothered him. He was hoping that he would forgive her and ask if he could
join Keith when he returned to Colville. But Hannah had been right when
she had first told him that she wouldn’t have been able to return to her
father’s home.

He soon spotted Beggar grazing with Smoke keeping watch and smiled
at the sight. For more than five years, he and Smoke had developed a
special relationship and now the big dog seemed to have accepted Hannah
as well. He’d been surprised when Smoke had quickly befriended her. He
usually was at best standoffish when dealing with strangers, but he’d cozied
up to Hannah immediately. Maybe he recognized what a special person she
was before the human male did.
He dismounted and unsaddled Friday to let him get some water and
enjoy the lush grass. After setting his tack on the tarp, he called to Smoke.
The big gray dog bounded over and looked at him expectantly, hoping
for a meaty treat as Keith reached into his coat pocket.
He pulled out the silver carving and showed it to his canine friend as he
said, “I found this and had to buy it because it looked like you. What do you
think?”

Smoke sniffed the silver wolf and then looked at Keith as if to say, “I
can’t eat that thing.”
Keith laughed then walked to the food pack, pulled out a piece of
smoked turkey and tossed it to Smoke. He put the silver wolf into his coat
pocket and walked to the still smoldering fire. He added more wood and it
soon began to burn. He let his coffee reheat and after a few minutes, poured
himself a cup before sitting down on the log he’d pulled near.

It wasn’t even noon yet and he wasn’t planning on doing anything until
tonight, but as he sat drinking his stale coffee, he thought that maybe he
wouldn’t have to wait so long. He needed to get the hatchet into the house,
and maybe it would be a lot easier to get it done now.

He tossed the last of his coffee onto the fire, then emptied the last of the
coffeepot’s contents onto the flames. The campfire still smoked, but it
wasn’t going to be a problem with the lack of wind, and he wasn’t planning
on being gone that long.
He saddled Friday again, then picked up the nicked hatchet and slid it
into his saddlebag. He thought about taking the piece of slashed rope as
well, but decided the hatchet was good enough.
He turned Friday back to the east and rode for ten minutes before turning
him south again. He wanted to exit the trees just west of town and pick up
the road to the Binder property. Hannah had explained how big it was and
how far it was from town, so he just needed to get far enough away so no
one would see him exit the forest.
When he left the trees, he spotted the westbound road just a couple of
hundred yards away and didn’t see any buildings to the east until he almost
reached the roadway. He was mildly surprised that he was still this far from
town, but soon turned west and headed for the Binders.

He didn’t ride at a fast pace because he planned to appear as if he

belonged there. He figured the only ones who would notice him would be
the construction workers and he doubted if they’d pay attention when he
arrived at Paul Binder’s house. His only problem would be if the door was
locked. If he couldn’t walk inside, then he’d have to decide whether he
should just leave the hatchet out front or leave. He could return after the
workers were gone and toss it through a window but didn’t want to spook
Paul before he entered his house.
He soon spotted the big house and then scanned the area. He didn’t see
anyone moving except the construction crew and they didn’t see him yet.
So, he kept Friday at a walk as he entered the property and headed for the
smaller house. He didn’t even look at the workers and acted as if he
belonged there.
 Keith stopped before the house and pulled the hatchet from his
saddlebag before he dismounted. He tied off Friday’s reins and climbed the
three steps onto his porch. He was surprised that he was so calm as he
reached for the doorknob. He turned it and was relieved when he was able
to push the door open and enter the house.
He closed the door behind him and studied the front room. It wasn’t as
expensively furnished as he had expected, but all he needed was to find an
obvious location for the hatchet. He crossed the room and set it on the large
table in the center of the room. It was a dark pine, so the hatchet stood out
in sharp contrast.
He took one last look at the carved threat and was about to leave when
he stopped. He looked down the hallway and decided to visit the bedrooms.
He had no real reason to inspect them knowing that Paul had shared one of
them with Hannah before trying to kill her. He stepped to the first doorway
and opened the door. It was just a bedroom and it didn’t seem different. He
left the door open and crossed the hallway to the second bedroom. When he
opened that door, he noticed the unkempt bed and knew it was where Paul
had spent the night. Hannah had told him that George Binder employed a
housekeeper, but she must not clean Paul’s house. Or if she did, she might
not visit it until later in the day. That possibility made Keith quickly turn
and leave the bedroom. He slowed before he reached the front door, then
opened it and scanned outside. He didn’t spot the housekeeper, but only saw
the construction crew still working about a hundred yards away.
He left the house and closed the door behind him.
When he mounted Friday, he took a few seconds to look at the new
house. It was a lot closer to Paul’s house than the trees, so he modified
tonight’s plan.
After he turned his gelding away from the smaller house, he shifted his
attention to the bigger house in case someone exited and spotted him. He
didn’t think that they’d really pay that much attention to him, even if it was
George Binder himself. The only one who might recognize him was Paul,
and he had only talked to him for a few minutes more than a month ago.

He soon turned back onto the road and after the house disappeared from
view, he turned north into the trees again. He was almost disappointed not
to find Paul in the house. If he had, then it would make things much better.
That sensation made him decide to toss aside his plan to set the house afire
with Paul inside. With the new house being built so close to his place, he’d
just wait for Paul to return and then ride across the hundred-yard gap and
confront him in his own front room. His new plan relieved him of the guilt
he felt with his first plan, so he was in a good frame of mind as he made his
way to his campsite.
The problem with both his new plan and his discarded plan was that he
had assumed that Paul would be alone when he returned.
_____
Paul had spent the morning at the sawmill as much to avoid seeing John
as to do any real work. Jack Folcroft did a good job and had the respect of
the workers, so Paul simply passed among the men and chatted with each of
them to become accepted. It irritated Jack something fierce, as his boss’
presence was interrupting the sawmill’s operation, but he couldn’t say
anything. When Paul left shortly before noon, Jack hoped he wouldn’t
return.
He didn’t return but took Missy Granger to lunch at the Gold & Silver
Club. She’d never been there before, and Paul wanted to impress her. Their
stay lasted well past the normal lunchtime, so Paul escorted her to the
lounge area.
“What do you think of this place, Missy?” he asked.

“It’s very nice, but I feel a bit out of place. I’m not a debutante.”
“I’m not that comfortable here myself. The food is very good, but it is
stuffy; isn’t it?”
 “Very.”
“Would you like to see my house? It may not have good food, but it’s not
stuffy, either.”
“I’d love, too.”
Paul smiled, then stood and escorted Missy out of the club. Once
outside, he hitched his horse behind her buggy then assisted her inside. He
climbed in and took the reins.
The buggy pulled out from behind the club and soon picked up the main
road heading west.
_____
Keith had packed Beggar and abandoned his campsite leaving the
campfire still smoldering. He didn’t expect to return. He’d stop near the
edge of the forest and wait until the workmen left the construction site, then
walk Friday to the back of the almost finished house and wait for Paul to
come back from wherever he was.

But when he reached the tree line, he was surprised to find the
construction site empty already. The house wasn’t finished, but he assumed
that there was some problem with supplies that had halted the work for the
day. It surely wasn’t lumber as there were still stacks of boards nearby from
Binder’s sawmill. Whatever the reason, Keith considered it a boon, so he
nudged Friday out of the trees and headed for the back of the new house.
It was late afternoon, but the sun was already low in the sky. He didn’t
expect to see Paul for at least another hour, and he was preparing to
dismount when he spotted a buggy approaching in the distance.
He noticed the black horse trailing and immediately knew that Paul was
driving. What threw his whole plan into turmoil was that he was with a
blonde-haired woman. He stayed in the saddle and raced to develop a new
plan. It wasn’t as difficult as he had expected, and it was probably better
than either of his others.
 He watched and waited as the buggy pulled closer to Paul’s house. If
they spotted him, he’d set Friday across the hundred-yard gap to confront
Paul with the woman as a witness. If they didn’t, he’d wait until they
entered the house so Paul could find the hatchet.
He was so confident in his latest plan that he hadn’t even given a thought
to anyone in the big house.
Paul pulled the buggy to a stop before his house and climbed out. He
walked around the other side and helped Missy to exit then escorted her
onto his porch.

“You can go inside, Missy. I’ll bring your buggy and my horse to the
stables. Okay?”
Missy smiled as she replied, “Alright.”
Paul opened the front door and Missy entered the front room. Paul
watched her for a few seconds before he turned and stepped down from the
porch.
Missy was impressed with the neatness of the room, but immediately
noticed the strange-looking hatchet on the table. She stepped to the table,
picked it up and was curious enough about the inscription to turn and walk
back out the door.
Paul had just climbed back into the buggy when he saw Missy leave the
house carrying the hatchet but didn’t make the connection.
“Why did you leave this on your table, Paul? What does this mean?”
Paul clambered back out of the buggy and as he walked closer to the
porch, he asked, “What does it say?”
“All it says is ‘I KNOW’,” she answered before she lifted her eyes up
and looked behind him when she saw a rider approaching.
Suddenly, Paul realized what it was and why it was there.
 Keith had seen the woman emerge from the house with the hatchet and
knew that he couldn’t wait, so even as she was asking Paul what it was, he
had Friday moving. By the time Paul recognized what she was holding and
the meaning of the two words, Keith was just thirty yards away with his
Colt drawn.
Paul heard the hoofbeats and whipped around and knew he was about to
die. He jumped onto the porch but knew he’d never make it into the house
before Stuart shot him, so he just stopped and pulled Missy in front of him
and held her arm in a vice-like grip.
“Get out of here, Stuart!” he shouted.
Keith pulled Friday to a stop just behind the buggy and kept his pistol
pointed at him despite having the blonde-headed woman acting as his
shield.
Missy was stunned and stood frozen, hoping the gunman didn’t try to
shoot Paul through her.
Keith said, “This is just like you, Binder. Hiding behind a woman.
You’re a coward. You pushed your wife off the cliff and then when my
cousin was climbing down to help her, you cut the rope sending him to his
death.”
“You’re wrong! I did no such thing! I told you what happened. My wife
slipped and your cousin fell from the rope.”

“Then why was my cousin’s hatchet’s blade chipped? I found the rope,
too. It had been cut by that hatchet.”
“Everything happened just like I told you, but after your cousin fell, I cut
the rope and tossed it over the edge because I didn’t want it. You’ve got no
right to be here. Just lower your gun and go back to your cabin.”

“Lord! You’re not only a coward, but a bold-faced liar, too. I know that
you pushed your wife over the edge after you told her that you spotted a
sasquatch.”
 “I told you that she thought she saw one and that’s why she looked over
the edge. You’re just trying to blame me for your cousin’s death so you can
make me give you money. Well, I’m not going to give you a penny, so just
leave!”

“Hannah didn’t look over the edge because she saw a sasquatch. She’s
afraid of heights and she only approached the cliff because you claimed to
have seen one.”
“You don’t know that!”

“Yes, I do. Hannah told me. She told me why you tried to murder her,
too. She’s living under my protection now.”
Paul was shocked into silence.
Hannah was alive!
When Keith had made his ride from behind the new house, George
Binder was in his office writing a letter. He had a spicy lunch that had given
him a bad case of gas, so he’d opened the window to keep a modicum of
fresh air.
At first, he didn’t pay any attention to the distant shouts because of the
construction work, but after he recognized Paul’s voice, he leaned back and
looked through the open window. He spotted Paul with Missy on the porch
and he was arguing with a rider still in the saddle with a pack horse. It took
him another thirty seconds to realize who the rider was and why he was
there. Paul had been wrong again. Stuart had found the bodies and the cut
rope. He wasn’t worried about any legal ramifications that Stuart may pose
but was offended that Stuart was trespassing on his land and threatening his
son.
He stood and walked to the far wall of his office and pulled down the
Winchester ’73. He cocked the hammer then left the office and headed for
the front door.
Keith looked at the woman and said, “You might want to avoid Paul
now, ma’am. If he doesn’t like you for some reason, you could be tossed off
a cliff, too.”
Missy looked at Keith’s face and suddenly was confident that he
wouldn’t shoot her. But everything he’d said smacked of the truth and if
Paul didn’t have such a hard grip on her arm, she would have run from the
porch.
Keith knew the situation needed to change, so he lowered his Colt and
released the hammer before slipping it back into his holster.
“Okay, Paul. You don’t like to murder folks that are looking at you, so
I’ll tell you what. You’ve got a pistol, so I’m going to turn my horse around
and give you a free shot at my back.”
Paul licked his upper lip and suspected a trick. His pistol was still held
down by the hammer loop and he was holding Missy with his right hand.
But the front door was wide open behind him and if he let her go, he could
make it inside and take his shot through the window.
He stared at Keith and said, “Go ahead.”
Keith smiled at the woman, then wheeled Friday around. He’d wait until
he heard her footsteps as she went down the stairs before he turned. He was
giving Paul a chance, but he was counting on Paul’s obvious nervousness
and fear to at least make him miss.
He’d barely stopped the turn when he heard the woman’s footsteps. Then
as he turned, he saw Paul race through the open doorway and cursed
himself for failing to expect the move.
He was reaching for his Winchester when he heard the crack of another
repeater from his left and felt the punch of the bullet as it entered his left
thigh. He grunted but still grabbed his rifle.

The shooter fired again but missed as Keith searched for the gunsmoke.
He spotted the man on the porch of the big house and didn’t take time to
even think of who he was before he settled his sights on the rifleman. It was
more than two hundred yards away, but he had made the shot before, so as
the man fired a third time, Keith took a precious few seconds before he
squeezed his trigger. The man fired a fourth time just as Keith’s .45 found
its mark in his gut. Keith saw the man drop to the porch but wasn’t sure if
he’d been hit or was taking a more stable prone firing position.
Whatever he was doing didn’t matter now. He’d been shot and Paul
would probably take advantage of the situation and start firing from the
house at close range. He kicked Friday into a run and dropped onto his neck
as the gelding raced back to the new house trailing Beggar. He’d left Smoke
in the trees because he didn’t want the big dog to be part of this, and now he
wished that he’d brought him along. He’d made so many mistakes and as a
result, Paul Binder hadn’t been touched.
After he’d reached the safety of his house, Paul had pulled his Colt and
stayed low, expecting Stuart to enter the house at any moment. Then he
heard the sound of distant rifle fire and he knew that his father had started
shooting at Stuart. He slid over to the window and as he peered outside, he
noticed that Stuart was bleeding.
His father had actually hit him!
Then he watched Stuart shoot and there was no return fire. He was about
to add his Colt’s bark to the gunfight when Stuart hunkered down and raced
away.
“Son of a bitch!” he exclaimed under his breath before he stood and
stepped quickly to the open door.
He quickly crossed the porch and totally ignored Missy as he untied his
gelding from behind her buggy, mounted and set him off at a gallop to his
father’s house.
Missy watched as Paul left then climbed into her buggy, snapped the
reins and turned it around. She watched as Paul reached the big house, but
soon turned left and had the buggy rolling quickly back to Spokane Falls.

Keith had passed the new house and entered the woods. Smoke
immediately joined him as he headed for his campsite. He needed to fix his
wound quickly before he did anything else.
 Paul leapt up the porch stairs and found his father on the porch with a
pool of blood surrounding his torso.
He stepped quickly beside his father and took a knee.
George was holding his wound and grimacing as he snarled, “I need you
to get Doc Wilson. Fast. Then you kill that bastard!”
Paul just nodded and didn’t ask the one question he desperately wanted
to have answered.
Did you get a chance to change your will?
He stood and soon mounted his gelding again. He wheeled him around
and set off for Spokane Falls. He knew that he should have ridden faster,
but the thought that his father may survive the gunshot wound if he did
made Paul keep his horse moving at a medium trot.
_____
After he reached his campsite, Keith carefully stepped down and walked
to the fire. It was almost out, so he pulled the old shirt he was going to use
to make fire arrows and dipped it in the canteen of kerosene. He tossed it
onto the smoking coals and watched it burst into flames. He added some of
the wood he’d already stacked nearby before he placed what he thought
he’d need to fix his wound next to him then sat down near the fire.
He pulled his knife from its sheath and cut away the cloth around the
bullet hole. He knew that the bullet wasn’t that deep, but he needed to get it
out and the detritus from his britches that will be deeper into the muscle.
Then he’d have to close the wound.
He picked up a small branch and put it between his teeth and bit down
hard. Then he used the tip of the sharp blade to cut away some of the flesh
on either side of the bullet hole. Once he thought it was big enough, he set
the knife on the ground and took a breath. He slowly pushed apart the tissue
and let his fingers find the bullet. He thought that he’d snap the branch in
two as he probed but soon thought he had a good enough grip on the slug to
pull it free. He didn’t want to do this again, so he dug his fingertips a bit
deeper before he took hold of the bullet and yanked it free. He tossed it
aside and let out a breath but didn’t let his jaws relax their hold on the
branch.
He slid his fingers back into the wound and just pushed as deeply as he
could and closed his thumb and index finger. When he pulled them back
out, he was relieved that they clutched a piece of denim. Now he needed to
clean it and then close it.
He reached across to his crude medical supplies and took a canteen of
water and washed away the blood. After setting it aside, he picked up his
small flask of pure grain alcohol. He clomped down on the branch again
and poured some of the alcohol onto the wound and felt the intense burn as
the alcohol met the raw flesh.
Keith was breathing heavily through his nose as he prepared for the last
step. He needed to close the wound, so it didn’t become infected. He picked
up his knife again and held it over the flames. He kept turning the blade
back and forth until he saw it begin to glow red.
He wasn’t sure if the branch was thick enough, but knew he had to do
this quickly. He wished he could close his eyes, but he had to be accurate
when he placed the red-hot steel against his wound, or he’d just suffer more
pain without solving his problem.
He used his left thumb and forefinger to push the wound closed then
took the knife from the fire and quickly set the flat against the bleeding
hole. He heard the sizzle as if he was cooking a steak and even smelled the
roasting meat that was his leg. He held the knife in place for what seemed
like an eternity but was just five seconds before he dropped the knife and
fell onto his back. He hadn’t bitten through the branch and thanked it for its
resilience before he tossed it away.
As he lay on his back, Smoke stepped closer and stared down at him.
Despite his agony, he smiled at his upside-down friend.
 “That was pretty stupid; wasn’t it? I didn’t even get Binder. I might have
hit his father, and he was the one who drove Paul to do what he did, so I
guess that was a kind of justice. But I really screwed up, Smoke. I reckon
that he’ll be heading to the sheriff with a new story of how I killed his
father after I tried to blackmail him. So, all I can do now is to hightail it
back to Colville and see Bill Sheffield. I can’t believe how much of a mess I
made out of this.”
Smoke walked around to his right side and laid down, so Keith rubbed
his belly for a minute before sitting back up and pouring the cold water
from the canteen over his horribly burned skin. It may have looked ugly and
hurt like hell itself, but it wouldn’t bleed again, and he wouldn’t have to
worry about stitches breaking loose either. He’d just have to deal with the
pain.
He slowly stood and figured he might as well put on some clean britches,
so he didn’t attract attention. Then he’d have to start back for Colville. He’d
have to stop and make a cold camp in a few hours, but he wanted to be
away from the Binders before they came looking. Then there was that other
issue he’d just created; he’d told Paul Binder that Hannah was alive. He
needed to get back before Binder or the men he would send could get to
town and find her.
_____
Paul had no intention of seeing Sheriff Gillis. After the way that the
sheriff had talked about Stuart after he had told Hannah’s father of her
death, he suspected that the lawman would probably be more likely to
believe Stuart anyway.

As he entered Spokane Falls, he decided that before he even talked to

Doctor Wilson, he’d stop at the Brown home and tell John what had
happened. He’d modify the facts, of course, but he needed to assert himself
as the older brother now. He assumed that his father would be dead when
they reached the house with the doctor, and then he’d let John know who
was in charge.
 But he had another problem to deal with named Keith Stuart. He’d seen
the wound in his leg but wasn’t sure how bad it was. He was sure that the
guide wasn’t about to show his face in town and would probably head back
to his cabin. He wasn’t about to chase him down alone, but after he
‘discovered’ that his father was dead, he’d have no problem paying for the
help that he needed to finally put an end to the Stuart issue.
_____
The one thing that Paul hadn’t taken into account was Missy Granger.
After she’d returned to her parents’ home, she told them and her two
brothers about the confrontation and gunfight. Her father was incensed and
wanted to find Paul Binder and shoot him, but her mother and brothers
calmed him. He finally said that he’d take Missy to see Sheriff Gillis in the
morning. He believed that things might resolve more to his liking if he
waited.
_____
Paul knocked on the Brown’s door and waited. When the door opened,
he met Ray Brown, Karen’s father, who just glared back at him.
“What do you want?”
“There’s been a shooting at my father’s house. Is John here?”
“Stay there,” Ray said before closing the door.
A minute later, the door opened again, and John exited then quickly shut
the door behind him.
“What happened?” he asked excitedly.
“Let’s get your horse and I’ll tell you on the way.”
Before John could ask another question, Paul turned and stepped off the
porch. By the time John reached him again, he had taken his mount’s reins
and was walking behind the Brown’s house where John had left his almost
identical black gelding.
 As they walked, Paul said, “Keith Stuart showed up and accused me of
killing Hannah and his cousin. He wanted money and I told him to go to
hell, but father heard us arguing and came out of the house with his
Winchester. He saw Stuart with his pistol aimed at me and opened fire.
Stuart was hit, but as father continued to shoot from the porch, Stuart pulled
his own rifle and shot him before he raced away. I got to the porch as fast as
I could, but father was bleeding badly and soon died, so I came to get you.”
“
He’s dead?
” John asked in shock.
Paul nodded as he replied, “He was gut shot. But before he died, he told
me to kill Stuart. I’m going to get some men and chase him down. I’m sure
that he’s headed back to Colville but with that wound, he can’t move very
fast.”

They reached John’s horse and the brothers mounted.

Once in the saddle, John asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“Take care of father’s burial, but don’t see Sheriff Gillis about it. If
anyone asks, tell them that he died of a heart attack.”
“Why don’t you want me to tell the sheriff?” he asked as they walked
their horses to the roadway.
“He likes Stuart and would probably believe whatever story he came up
with.”
“What about Maggie and Bess? Did either of them see or hear
anything?”

“I don’t know. I never saw either of them. I imagine they both hid in the
cold room when they heard the gunfire.”
“Nobody else was around?”

It was then that Paul finally remembered that Missy had seen all of it and
realized that she wasn’t about to keep quiet. That posed as big a problem for
him as Stuart because if she told her family about it, they’d go running to
the sheriff and then he’d face murder charges.

As they turned onto the road, he finally replied, “No. I was alone.”
“Alright. I’ll take care of it. When are you going to get the Martins and
the other two?”

“As soon as we move father’s body. You can tell Maggie and Bess and
be sure to tell them that their positions aren’t in jeopardy. Okay?”
“I’ll do that.”

As they rode west, Paul was desperately trying to think of what he could
do about Missy. He didn’t doubt that she was with her family now. Her
father didn’t like him very much, but he got along with her brothers. Maybe
he could talk to them and convince them that their hysterical sister hadn’t
really understood what had happened.
But he suspected that he’d never be able to even enter the Granger house
again. His best bet was to reach Sheriff Gillis before she or her father did.
But first, he needed to be sure that his father had died. He didn’t know what
he’d do if he and John arrived and found him still breathing.
_____
Before he’d donned his clean britches, Keith had soaked a towel in water
and wrapped it around his burned thigh. It gave him some relief, but he
knew it was only temporary. At least he was still reasonably functional.

He soon mounted Friday and headed northeast as the sun dipped below
the horizon. It had been less than an hour since he’d left the trees, and now
he wished that he’d stayed in the forest, if not in his cabin with Hannah.
This whole journey had been a disaster and he knew it wasn’t over.
His only advantages were that he didn’t think that Paul could leave
Spokane Falls before he was on the road and that even with his injury, he
knew that he could handle Paul and his boys. That was only if he used the
same four whom he’d met at his cabin. If he hired more, then it could be a
problem.

He kept Friday at a decent pace as he slithered between the pines. He

thought about moving the scabbard with the Sharps-Borshadt to Friday in
case he needed the range, but figured he’d have time after he spotted them.
He doubted if they had bought any long-range rifles since they’d visited
him but had to allow that they might have them.
He soon spotted the road ahead and glanced south, but in the fading
light, he couldn’t see more than a few hundred yards. But at least that space
was clear of riders, so he kept moving.

_____
Paul was relieved when they found their father dead. He was surprised
that neither the housekeeper nor the cook had been on the porch when they
arrived, but they were John’s problem now.

John picked up their father’s Winchester and handed it to Paul as he said,

“Use this to shoot that bastard!”
“Count on it,”

Then Paul said, “I think I’ll tell the sheriff about it after all. He’d
probably hear about the shooting anyway.”
“Alright. Are you going to head out right after getting the Martin
brothers and the others?”
“Yup. I don’t want to let Stuart get away.”
“It’s going to be dark soon.”
“Yeah, but we’ll have a full moon tonight. I figure we’ll just head to his
cabin and we’ll probably catch up with him on the road.”
“Okay.”
 Paul nodded then stepped down from the porch and stepped into the
saddle. He’d borrow a packhorse from the lumber operation as he did
before but wouldn’t need as many supplies.

As he turned his gelding away from the house and set him at a medium
trot toward Spokane Falls, he rehearsed the story he’d tell the sheriff. But
he wasn’t about to tell Gillis that he was going to chase down Stuart. He
had to be very careful in his choice of words if he was going to make this
work.
He soon passed the Granger house as he headed for the sheriff’s
residence. He had decided to report it as a tragic misunderstanding and that
Stuart had reacted to his father’s gunfire. By the time he dismounted, he
was convinced that he had concocted a believable tale.
He knocked on the door and within thirty seconds, Sheriff Tom Gillis
swung it open.
“What do you need, Paul?”
“Remember I told you how I explained to Keith Stuart about what had
happened to his cousin?”
The sheriff nodded, so Paul continued, saying, “Well, he found the rope
that his cousin had used to climb down the cliff, and it had been cut. So, he
assumed that I had murdered him and showed up at my house to threaten
me.”

“He just showed up?”

“Yes, sir. I was with Missy Granger and we were standing on my porch
when he just rode up and pulled his pistol. He shouted at me and called me
a murderer. He even accused me of killing my wife. I told him he was
wrong, but he was really mad. I explained how I had to cut the rope because
I couldn’t bring it back, but he didn’t want to hear it.

“I guess my father heard him shouting from his house, so he grabbed his
Winchester when he saw Stuart pointing his pistol at me. He began firing
and Stuart pulled his own rifle and returned fire. My father went down, and
Stuart turned his horse around and left. I raced to my father’s house and
found that he’d been shot in the gut and then bled to death. I left John with
his body.”

“Damn! Where’s Stuart?”

“I reckon he headed back to Colville.”

“Do you want me to press charges?”

“No, sir. He didn’t fire the first shot and I’m sure that I could have
convinced him that he was wrong. In fact, I think he was already leaning
that way when my father started shooting.”

“Alright. Let me know if you need anything else. Okay?”

“Yes, sir. Oh, by the way, Missy was so terrified by the gunfire that she
got into her buggy and left. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her since then, so
I hope she didn’t believe all of the wild accusations that Stuart made.”

“You never know with women.”

Paul nodded, then said, “Thank you, Sheriff.”
Sheriff Gillis patted him on the shoulder and closed the door.
Paul was incredibly relieved that he’d pulled it off and happily trotted
back to his horse. He’d head to the big bunkhouse and find the Martin
brothers. He’d tell them to hire two other men, and he’d rather that one of
them wasn’t Joe Babcock.
_____
After Paul had gone into Spokane Falls, John looked at his father’s body,
then left the porch and walked to Paul’s house. When he reached the front
of the house, he spotted the odd hatchet lying on the porch, stepped onto the
lowest stair and picked it up. When he read the burnt inscription, he smiled.
He knew that Paul had been lying and now he had proof.
 As he headed back to the house, he grasped the hatchet as if it was made
of solid gold. He’d go into Spokane Falls tonight and see the mortician so
he could remove his father’s body, but he’d wait until tomorrow to visit
Sheriff Gillis. If Paul hadn’t said he was going to see the sheriff, he would
have seen the lawman tonight, but there was still the good chance that Paul
wouldn’t return at all, so John decided to wait to make his statement.

Within a few days, everything his father owned would be his and he
wouldn’t even have to marry Karen Brown.
_____

Keith was making good time and thought that he might get more than
halfway back before setting up camp. When he did stop for the night, he’d
be in the trees but close enough to the road so Smoke could spot any night
riders. The only ones who should be on the highway this late would be Paul
and his hired guns. Keith couldn’t let them get past him. If Smoke spotted
them, he’d have to let them know where he was and draw them into his
domain.
If they continued north anyway, then he’d follow, but he’d rather take
them on in the trees.
_____
“You want us to go back there again?” Al asked contemptuously.
“He’s already shot, so all we need to do is run him down. He’s probably
on the road north right now. We need to get moving soon. I’ll pay you and
Frank five hundred dollars each and if you can get another two to join us,
I’ll pay them two-fifty each. There will be a five-hundred-dollar bonus to
the man who kills him. You could even be back tomorrow morning.”
Al glanced at Frank who was holding back a grin then looked back to
Paul and said, “Alright. I’ll get Arnie and Joe to come along.”

“If you hire Joe, then I don’t want to hear how he should make as much
as you or Frank."
 "I'll tell him. I'll have Arnie get a packhorse ready and we’ll meet you at
the remuda in twenty minutes.”

“Alright. I’ll see you there.”

Paul then returned to his gelding. There was no need for him to use one
of the other horses this time. What he had forgotten to mention to Al was
that Stuart had shot his father at over two hundred yards with his repeater.
He hadn’t even thought about it himself after watching Stuart take the hit
from his father’s Winchester.

He was glad that he had already withdrawn such a large amount from his
account, but it was for a much different reason. When he’d first taken it out,
he expected that he might have to leave for a while. Now, he would use it to
pay for Stuart’s death.
_____

Keith had the full moon overhead and for once, there wasn’t a cloud in
the sky. It gave him good visibility and he hadn’t seen anyone behind him.
He hadn’t lost that much blood, but he was already getting tired as Friday
continued carrying him north. He knew that he should stop and get some
sleep. He had to be alert if Paul decided to bring his henchmen to Colville.
He thought it was more likely that Paul would stay in Spokane Falls, at least
until tomorrow, but he couldn’t take the chance. If he was coming tonight,
then he’d be tired, too.
The road curved around a heavy growth of pines, so he decided it was as
good as he was going to get. The forest started just thirty or forty yards
from the roadway, so he turned right and soon entered the trees.
Because he wasn’t going to stay for very long, he didn’t unsaddle the
horses, but simply pulled his bedroll from Friday and stretched it out on the
ground. He tossed a larger than usual chunk of meat to Smoke before eating
a smaller piece himself. He pulled a canteen from Beggar and after he
unscrewed the cap, he sniffed it to make sure he didn’t get a mouthful of
kerosene. After drinking enough water and hanging the canteen back on the
pack saddle, he emptied some of his own moisture to the ground. He didn’t
want to have anything slowing him down if he had to act quickly.
Keith laid on his bedroll and looked up through the pine branches. He
could see some stars, but most of the night sky was blocked. It was what he
saw most of the nights he’d been away from his cabin and it still impressed
him.
He had Smoke by his side and was confident that his friend would give
him ample warning of any approaching riders. Secure in that knowledge, he
soon drifted off to sleep.

_____
Hannah was having much more difficulty in finding sleep as she lay
under the quilts in the spare bedroom.

All day, she’d been imagining horrific gunfights and deadly

confrontations that would keep Keith from returning to her. She would let
her mind wander into those dangerous images and then let her guilt take
control because she was the reason he was in Spokane Falls. She knew that
he wouldn’t have a problem with Paul if it was just the two men, but she
doubted that it would happen that way. With each of her worried
imaginings, the number of opposing gunmen would climb until Keith was
facing half the male population of Spokane Falls.
She hadn’t even left the house since he’d gone and had been pacing and
exercising to prepare herself when he did return. She’d taken baths each day
as much to soothe her nerves as it was to stay clean.
If and when she did leave the house, it would be to walk to the cabin. It
would only take her thirty minutes or so and she’d be a lot more
comfortable there. She’d carry the shotgun and wear her Colt, too. Maybe
she’d saddle Wednesday and take her for a ride. She decided that if Keith
hadn’t returned by tomorrow afternoon, she’d walk to the cabin.
With her mind set, she almost willed herself to sleep.
 CHAPTER 8
While Hannah slept, Keith was hammered into the real world by
Smoke’s hard bounce onto his chest. He quickly shot to his feet even before
his head cleared then he froze.
He absent-mindedly rubbed Smoke’s head as he listened intently. He
soon heard hoofbeats mixed with voices and knew that they were still
approaching from the south. He stayed standing near his bedroll as the
sounds grew louder and soon began to fade after they passed.
He waited until they were almost gone before mounting Friday and
pulling his Winchester from its scabbard. He owed Smoke for this one. Any
other dog would have started barking and then there would have been hell
to pay.
Keith walked Friday west toward the road and as he left the shadows of
the trees, the light of the full moon almost turned it into day. He spotted the
five riders on the road about a hundred yards away and angled northwest to
get behind them.
He cocked his Winchester’s hammer and nudged Friday to a medium trot
to close the gap. He still wasn’t sure how he’d handle it and wished that
he’d given more thought to the possibility that they’d follow him at night.
He wasn’t sure if Paul was bringing the same four men or had asked Sheriff
Gillis to come along, so he couldn’t start firing without knowing who they
were. He couldn’t shoot them in the back anyway but decided that he would
take the first shot.

Friday was closing the gap as the five men rode oblivious to Keith’s
presence. Since they’d left, each of the four hires were claiming that he
would be the one to kill Stuart and pocket the five-hundred dollars. That
ongoing chatter masked their target’s approach from behind even as he
drew within fifty yards.

Keith was watching them closely and waiting for one of them to look
back but was grateful that none of them bothered to check their backtrail
even as he was getting within pistol range. He slowed when he was thirty
yards back and let his reins drop before aiming his Winchester at the group.
At the top of his lungs, he shouted, “Stop and put your hands in the air!”
His shout startled each of them and only Paul complied when he threw
his hands into the night sky. Each of the others turned to look behind them
and were stunned to find Keith so close with his rifle pointed at them.
Keith had mistakenly believed that he’d be able to disarm each of them
before taking Paul into the forest and administering the justice he deserved.
But three of the four men who still hadn’t put up their hands had no
intention of surrendering. The enormous amount of money offered by Paul
made it a simple decision. If Stuart fired, he’d probably kill one of them,
but the odds were that one of them would shoot Stuart soon after he fired
his Winchester. But the biggest mistake they made was not understanding
their borrowed horses. Keith’s Friday was well accustomed to having guns
fired near his head, but none of their animals were. It would make an
enormous difference in the shot-lived gunfight that was about to commence.

Just seconds after Paul had reached for the sky, Al Martin reached for his
Colt. Frank had expected him to try to kill Stuart and wasn’t about to lose
the opportunity, so as soon as Al moved, so did Frank. Joe Babcock hadn’t
seen either man go for his pistol but when he’d seen Keith with his
Winchester, he noticed the sights weren’t on him, so he stabbed at his
Remington. The only one of the four who didn’t was Arnie, who was the
man in Keith’s sights and knew it.
Keith was momentarily startled when he saw them grabbing their pistols,
but before the first revolver cleared leather, he fired.
 Arnie Jones never made a move to pull his Colt before Keith’s .45 ripped
through his chest, breaking ribs and ripping apart lung tissue and blood
vessels. He fell off the left side of his horse and slammed into the ground as
the others drew their pistols free.

Joe Babcock was the closest to Arnie when he fell and his horse was
jostled as he fired, sending his first shot wide. All of their horses began to
bounce in fear as Al and Frank each fired and missed as well.
Keith had quickly cycled in a new round and fired at Al’s muzzle flare.
The bullet slammed into Al’s right eye and drilled through his brain before
exiting the back of his skull.

Frank fired a second time but missed again and then glanced at his
brother and was horrified when he saw the damage the .45 had done to his
brother’s head in the brief moments before Al toppled from his saddle. His
anger was immense as he turned back to Keith and began firing his Colt as
quickly as he could as his horse continued to twist below him.
Joe was struggling to get his mount under control as Frank emptied his
pistol.

Keith fired his third shot at Frank and even as Frank realized his
chambers were empty, he felt the .45 slam into his chest, just above his
sternum. His useless Colt dropped from his hand before he followed it to
the road.
Joe was finally getting his horse settled down, so he took a bit more care
as he aimed his Remington. He knew the others were down and didn’t want
to lose his chance at the big payday. But his need to be accurate with his
next shot proved fatal. He let his sights steady on Keith who was cycling his
Winchester after shooting Frank and knew he had him.

He would have made the killing shot if Keith’s only ally in the fight
hadn’t arrived. Smoke leapt from the ground and slammed into Joe’s left leg
just as he prepared to fire. He didn’t sink his teeth into Joe but bounced off
his side and bounded away.
 The sudden jolt made Joe jerk his trigger sending his bullet high above
Keith’s head, and before he could even cock his hammer again, Keith fired.
Joe never felt the bullet that ripped his neck in half before he rolled to his
right and plummeted to the earth.

Keith had been so focused on finding threats and eliminating them that
he hadn’t noticed that Paul had disappeared. The gunsmoke was still heavy
in the unmoving air and as Keith scanned the bright moonlit landscape, he
simply couldn’t see where Paul had gone. He must have ridden into the
forest during the shooting, but Keith wasn’t concerned. He doubted that
Paul would stay close enough to try to bushwhack him but was irritated
with himself for missing his escape. It was yet another mistake that seemed
to be arriving with regularity since he’d started.
There were four dead bodies and four horses, so he knew that Paul had
the packhorse with him. He thought that Paul would just make a wide loop
to return to Spokane Falls, but if he’d gone into the forest, he’d have a
difficult time navigating.

He should have started out after Paul immediately, but thought that
would be yet another mistake. He needed to move the bodies off of the road
and use the time to think of how to deal with Paul, wherever he was.
He slid his Winchester into its scabbard and dismounted. Smoke trotted
close beside as he headed for the first body. He removed each of their
gunbelts and rounded up their fallen pistols then put them into one of their
horses’ saddlebags. He went through each of their pockets and was
surprised to find so much cash. The total was over five hundred dollars and
he imagined that it was the pay that they’d received from Paul Binder for
the first job. They probably didn’t trust the bank or their friends, so they
kept it with them.

After stuffing the large wad into his coat pocket, he retrieved his coil of
rope from Beggar and made a long connecting line tied to each of the
bodies. He made a trail rope for the horses then lashed the body line to one
of their geldings and mounted Friday. He led the horses and the dragging
bodies out of the road and into the trees. After he’d gone about two hundred
yards, he stopped and disconnected the rope dragging the bodies. He wasn’t
about to expend the effort to bury them but supposed that he should make
an effort to cover them somewhat. So, he pulled his tarp from Beggar and
laid it across the four dead men. He found some dead branches and tossed
them over the lumpy canvas then mounted Friday to return to the road.

He’d be able to track Paul after he left the road but would lose the trail
once he entered the darkness of the forest. He wasn’t sure how late it was
but guessed it wasn’t even midnight. The predawn wouldn’t arrive for
another six or seven hours.
He picked up Paul’s tracks as he’d raced his horse and the packhorse into
the trees, but once he was hidden in the pines, he dismounted again. He
knew that he’d be able to pick up the trail in the morning and there was no
rush. Paul Binder couldn’t avoid him now. Even if he made it back to
Spokane Falls, Keith was determined to find him and punish him for
murdering Angus and trying to kill Hannah.

_____
As soon as the shooting had started, Paul had grabbed his reins, dropped
to his horse’s neck and slammed his heels into his flanks. The black had
raced away and Paul turned him to his left to make his escape. He didn’t
look back until he neared the trees and when he did, he wasn’t surprised to
see that there was only one of his four men still shooting and doubted if
he’d be in the saddle much longer.
Keith Stuart was a devil!

After he’d entered the forest, he only slowed as much as he thought

necessary to avoid tree trunks and low branches. He continued more or less
in a straight line until he had to follow the topography of the land and
followed a valley. The long valley took him in a northeasterly direction.
When the valley ended, he had to slow his gelding to a walk before letting
him wade into a shallow creek that shifted him due north. It was the only
path open to him. He had no idea where he was going, only that Keith
Stuart was behind him. He couldn’t imagine that the man who had vowed to
kill him would be setting up a cold camp.

Keith was stretched out on his bedroll with Smoke lying beside him. He
assumed that Paul Binder would head back to Spokane Falls, but there was
always the chance that he’d lose his way in the forest. In all their
conversations, he’d never asked Hannah about her husband’s level of
wilderness skills. After she’d answered his initial questions about Paul, it
seemed that neither of them wanted to talk about him.
Keith suspected that Paul was a city boy who hadn’t spent much time at
all in the unsettled land. If he hadn’t been the son of a wealthy man, then
even if he’d lived in town, he probably would have spent a lot of time
hunting and fishing. But just in his limited contacts with Paul Binder, Keith
got the impression that he was almost a dandy. That belief gave him hope
that his quarry hadn’t been able to find his way home.

But one thing that bothered him was that he hadn’t felt a bit of guilt or
anguish for killing four men. He’d talked to men who’d fought in the Civil
War and they’d all confessed to a sense of shame for what they’d done. Yet
he’d just ended four men’s lives without hesitation and wasn’t even
embarrassed about what he’d done. He may not be proud of it, but he
wasn’t ashamed.
With that nagging question soon after the harrowing gunfight, he didn’t
think that he’d be able to fall asleep again, but after a while his eyelids grew
heavy and he drifted off.

_____
Paul had left the stream when he could and turned right to enter another,
wider valley. He was tired and knew he was in danger of falling from his
saddle and the horses needed to rest, too. As much as he wanted to keep
going, he finally dismounted.

Despite his father owning large tracts of land for harvesting, he hadn’t
spent much time in the wild and the sounds of the forest gave him the
willies. He led his horses to a small pond and let them drink as he surveyed
the ground nearby. There was a decent clearing that had plenty of moonlight
and would normally be an excellent campsite, but he was still worried that
Stuart might be following him and didn’t want to be caught out in the open.

When horses were satisfied, he pulled his bedroll from his black and let
them graze in the thick grass but didn’t remove their saddles in case he
needed to make a fast escape. He’d tie them to one of the pine branches
after they’d eaten.
After laying out his bedroll, he walked to the packhorse and removed
some smoked beef and biscuits then headed back to the pond. As he sat on
his bedroll and ate his meager supper, he tried to come up with a way out of
this mess. It had seemed so simple when he’d led the four hard men out of
Spokane Falls. He just hadn’t expected Stuart to do anything other than
head back home to get medical help for his wound.

That thought gave Paul the idea that Stuart was weakened and had been
laying off the roadway to build up his strength. It had been just dumb luck
that they hadn’t noticed him, and he’d been able to sneak up behind them.
He chewed his beef with new hope growing in his heart. He could
understand how Stuart was able to kill all of his hires, but with that bullet
wound, he’d have to seek medical help and couldn’t follow him.
He felt a sense of calm flow through him and sighed in relief. In the
morning, he’d make his way back to Spokane Falls. He wouldn’t even have
to mention what had happened to the four men because no one would care.
Paul popped the last of his biscuit into his mouth, then stood and walked
to the horses to tie them off for the night. He still wouldn’t unsaddle them
because it was just useless work anyway.
_____
Keith was the first one up the next morning and was in the saddle just as
the first rays of the sun created pencils of light in the dark forest. He picked
up Paul’s trail and set Friday at a walk to follow. He was in no rush and as
he continued riding, he noticed that Paul hadn’t headed south, but was still
tracking to the northeast. He wasn’t sure if Paul was lost or simply in a
panicked rush to escape. He’d learn which was right in another hour or so.

Before the hour had elapsed, Keith knew that Paul had no idea where he
was going. He had been almost trapped into this path after he’d entered the
valley and wouldn’t be able to turn south for a long time. Keith was certain
that soon, he would be able to administer the delayed justice for Angus.
Smoke was invisible but somewhere off to his left as if this was just
another hunting party, which it was in a fashion. This was new territory for
Keith, so he studied the landscape as he passed. He wasn’t looking for an
ambush because he doubted if Paul would even think about setting up for an
attempt. He’d run.
_____
Paul sat in his saddle and cursed as he looked at the shadows. They gave
him the direction he needed to go but the terrain prevented him from
heading that way. He was limited to either riding into the sunrise or
returning the way he’d come. He may have believed that Stuart had ridden
back to Colville, but he wasn’t convinced. As desperately as he wanted to
follow his own trail back to the roadway, he thought he’d be safer to spend
at least another day in the forest. He had enough supplies for at least a
week, so he wasn’t worried.

The smart move would have been to stay put and set up an ambush in
case Keith Stuart suddenly appeared. But Paul didn’t want to risk getting
into a gunfight with the guide, especially after watching him kill four tough
men. He felt it was safer to continue east, so he set his gelding into a walk
going deeper into the forest.
_____

When Paul hadn’t returned by midmorning, John decided that it was

time to see the sheriff. He left his father’s house, which he now thought of
as his, then walked out to the stables and saddled his father’s big black
stallion. His father called him Omni, but John would change his name when
he had the time.
He rode out of the stables and headed for Spokane Falls in the bright
October sunshine. As he passed out of the large estate, he was smiling.
Soon this would all be his and the unusually marked hatchet in his
saddlebags would be the tool he needed to make it happen.
_____

In the sheriff’s office, Missy Granger was talking as she sat before the
sheriff in his private office and her father stood behind her with his arms
folded.
Since Paul Binder left his house last night, the sheriff had been
reviewing his story and had been troubled by its details. Chief among them
was that Keith Stuart had ridden all the way from Colville to threaten Paul
without any evidence other than his own suspicions. When he’d met Keith,
he’d been impressed with his calm, almost peaceful demeanor and found it
hard to imagine that he’d make such an extraordinary accusation.
Then there was Paul Binder himself. Tom had known both of the Binder
boys for all of their lives and knew that they had grown into spoiled, selfish
men. When Paul had married Hannah Smith, Tom had been shocked and
thought that maybe Paul had finally straightened out.
Now, as he listened to Missy, her story seemed much more accurate even
before the big shock arrived.
Missy simply said, “…then Mister Stuart said that Hannah had told him
about how Paul had shoved her off the cliff and that she was living under
his protection.”
“
What did you say?
” the sheriff exclaimed, “
Hannah is alive?
”

“Yes, sir. I’m sure that Paul was just as shocked as you were. I was too
afraid to be shocked. I wasn’t afraid of Mister Stuart because I knew he
wasn’t going to shoot me, but I thought that Paul might push me over the
porch so he could run away.”
“Alright, Missy. Go on.”
Missy nodded and proceeded with her report.

In the outer office, Deputy Sheriff Jack Nettles was listening to her story
when the door opened, and John Binder entered carrying the hatchet.
“Is the sheriff in?” he asked as he walked closer.
Jack glanced at his fellow deputy Bart Thurber before he replied, “He’s
with Missy Granger and her father. I reckon that you want to talk to him
about Keith Stuart’s visit to your place yesterday, too.”
John wondered what Missy was telling the sheriff because he believed
that she was defending Paul.
“I do need to tell him about it, but I don’t think it’ll be the same stories
that he heard before.”
“Oh? Do you want to tell me?”

“No. I’ll wait for the sheriff,” he replied before taking off his hat and
sitting down beside Deputy Thurber.
“That’s an odd hatchet you’ve got there,” Bart Thurber said.

“I found it on my brother’s porch after he’d gone after Stuart.”

Deputy Nettles quickly asked, “Why did he chase after him if Stuart was
already gone?”
“He wanted to kill him.”
Jack’s eyebrows arched as he asked, “He was going to try to kill Keith
Stuart on his own?”
 He may never have met the guide, but the sheriff had told them about
him earlier and he couldn’t imagine Paul Binder taking such a risk.
John replied, “No. He went to the sawmill and hired four men to help
him. They left early last night, and I don’t know what happened. That’s why
I waited to see the sheriff.”
Jack glanced at Bart again then said, “If he’s not back yet, then I reckon
he might not be coming back at all.”

“We’re probably going to have to go and look for him, Jack,” Bart said.
“Let’s see what the boss wants us to do. This is getting downright
strange.”

“You got that right.”

John twirled the hatchet in his hand as he listened to the two young
lawmen. This was getting even better than he’d hoped. Even if Paul
survived his encounter with Stuart, he’d probably be arrested as soon as he
entered Spokane Falls. He didn’t have their father’s protection any longer
either.

Tom Gillis had heard snippets of his deputies’ conversation and realized
that John Binder had arrived, probably to snitch on his older brother.
With Missy’s story, he was already about to ride out to the Binder place
to interview John as part of his investigation. He’d also be sending a
telegram to Sheriff Sheffield up in Colville to ask about Hannah. He didn’t
doubt that Missy was right, and Hannah was staying with Keith Stuart, but
he knew that the Stevens County prosecutor needed her testimony if he
expected to win his case.

Missy finished her story, so the sheriff said, “Thank you for coming here,
Missy. It was a brave thing to do.”
Her father said, “She’s telling the truth, Tom.”
 “I’m sure that she is, Hal. I think that John Binder just showed up
outside. Why don’t you and Missy stay here while I talk to him.”

“Alright. Thanks, Tom.”

The sheriff nodded, then stood and left his small office, closing the door
behind him. He would be shocked if John Binder tried to defend Paul but
was curious how far he would go to sink his older brother.
When John saw the sheriff enter the front office, he stood and held out
the hatchet.
“What’s this?” Tom asked as he accepted the odd tool.

John began to vomit his suspicions about what had really happened and
continued his rapid and accusatory narrative with his revelation that Paul
had hired the four thugs to chase after Stuart. Then he added more damning
information when he told the sheriff that Paul had hired them earlier to try
to kill Stuart when he suspected that Stuart had known that he’d murdered
Stuart’s cousin.
Even though he’d expected John to do his utmost to bury his brother, he
was startled by his latest revelation.

“Why did he murder his cousin?” he asked.

“Because he was climbing down the cliff to look for Hannah after he’d
pushed her over the edge. He cut the rope and figured Stuart would find it
and know that he’d cut it with that hatchet.”
The sheriff nodded slowly as he stared at the hatchet then said, “I’ll need
you to stay and write a statement about all of that and then we’ll track down
your brother and arrest him.”
John was enormously pleased but kept a poker face before Deputy
Thurber rose and escorted John to the tiny office where he could write his
statement.
 After he closed the door to give John privacy, Sheriff Gillis looked down
at Deputy Nettles and quietly said, “Make sure that he writes exactly what
he just said and make sure that it includes when he learned what Paul had
tried to murder Hannah and killed Angus MacKenzie.”

Jack understood why the sheriff needed it and just nodded before the
sheriff returned to his private office.
After Missy and her father left, Sheriff Gillis said, “I’m going to send a
telegram to Sheriff Sheffield. Then I’ll come back here, and we’ll figure out
what we can do about Paul Binder.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack said before the sheriff grabbed his hat and left the office.
_____

Paul had been riding in the deep forest for more than two hours and
knew that he was hopelessly lost. His only way to make his way to Spokane
Falls would be to follow his own trail and if it rained, he could lose that. It
was still a sunny day, but that could change.
He had seen an enormous grizzly, but it hadn’t seemed to pay him any
attention, but the pack of wolves he’d spotted an hour earlier appeared to be
following him. He’d counted only six of the big predators, but that was
more than enough to kill him and his two horses. He had his Winchester
fully loaded and his Colt but wasn’t sure if he’d be able to hold off a hungry
wolf pack. His need to return to Spokane Falls was now being overpowered
by his fear of the wolves that were blocking that path. So, Paul kept his
gelding moving east.

_____
Keith was following Paul’s trail and had reached his campsite near the
small pond. After letting Friday and Beggar drink, he let them munch on the
grass while he studied the terrain. He could see the trail heading east into
the trees and if he was following anyone other than Paul Binder, he’d
suspect that he was setting up for an ambush. But Paul was running and
making mistakes. Finding the campsite, he knew that he was no more than
two hours behind now. Paul Binder had no way to avoid justice now.
He soon set Friday moving again and continued following Paul’s trail.
When he entered the trees again, it wasn’t long before he picked up the
tracks left by a wolf pack. After a few more minutes, he was sure that they
were tracking Paul as well and almost thought about turning around and
letting the wolves administer the justice. But he knew that he had to be the
one so Paul would die knowing that he was suffering because of what he
did, not simply due to bad luck.
The two men continued riding deeper into the forest with the wolves
trotting between them. When Keith spotted Smoke closer than he normally
would be, he noticed that his hackles were already up. Smoke seemed to
resent wolves more than any other creatures and had tangled with more than
a few. Keith wondered if he wasn’t angry because his father had abandoned
his mother. It was a silly notion, but he couldn’t figure out what drove
Smoke’s intense dislike for his wild canine relatives.
_____
Bill Sheffield knocked on the door to Angus’ house and waited for
Hannah. He hadn’t visited the house and had strongly suggested that Colby
stay away as well, but for a different reason.
When Hannah opened the door, she was hoping that Keith had returned,
but knew that he probably wouldn’t have knocked.
She still smiled as she asked, “What can I do for you, Sheriff?”

“Good morning, Hannah. I just received a telegram from Sheriff Gillis

down in Spokane Falls. It concerns your husband and Keith, and he asked
that I talk to you.”
“Do you want to come in?”

“Alright. But leave the door open. I don’t want people to talk.”
 Hannah nodded then hurriedly crossed the front room and took a seat.
Sheriff Sheffield walked more slowly and sat across from her.
“Tom Gillis said that Keith showed up and confronted your husband
about murdering Angus and attempting to murder you. George Binder saw
them arguing and fired at Keith. He hit Keith in the leg before Keith
returned fire and killed George. He then rode away. Paul hired four men to
chase after Keith, but Tom doesn’t know what happened yet. He’s going to
send men out to search.”
Hannah sat in silence as she digested the information but had almost
stopped listening after hearing that Keith had been shot.
The sheriff then continued, saying, “Tom said that Paul’s trial would
have to be here and asked if you’d be willing to testify.”
Hannah blinked and tried to recall what the sheriff had just said before
she asked, “What did you say?”
The sheriff repeated what he’d just told her then she asked, “I thought I
couldn’t testify against my husband?”
“I’m not sure if that’s right in your case anyway, ma’am. But Sheriff
Gillis must have had the same question because he added that Paul’s father
had your marriage annulled last month. So, you’d be able to testify at his
trial.”
“I’m not married to him anymore?” she asked with her eyes wide.
“Actually, an annulment means you were never married in the first
place.”
Hannah sighed. She’d been living with Keith all this time as a single
woman and didn’t know it. She wasn’t sure if it would have changed
anything, but it certainly changed everything now. That would only be true
if Keith returned safely, and the gunshot wound suddenly loomed even
larger in her mind.
 “I’ll be more than happy to testify, Sheriff. Do you have any more
information?”

“Not yet. I’ll send a reply to this message and hopefully Tom Gillis will
have found Paul or Keith by then.”
“Thank you very much. I was going to walk to the cabin this afternoon if
he hadn’t returned. Do you think I should?”

“If you want to go there, let me know and I’ll have my wife drive you
there in our buggy. Don’t walk by yourself. Okay?”
“I won’t. I’ll let you know when you return with more news.”
“I may not get an answer about Keith before sunset, Hannah.”
“If you haven’t heard anything by then, could you have your wife drive
me to the cabin?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll head over to the telegraph office and get this reply
sent.”
She stood and said, “Thank you again, Sheriff.”
Tom rose said, “You’re welcome, Hannah. I’m sure that Keith will be
fine. He’s an amazing man and I’m sure that he’ll be glad that you’re not
married, too.”
“I hope so.”
Tom smiled at her then headed for the open door. After closing it behind
him he trotted down the short walkway and turned east to make the walk to
the Western Union office. He may have been reassuring in his comments to
Hannah, but he was very worried about Keith. He’d already been wounded
before five men chased after him to kill him. The odds were against Keith
Stuart ever returning to his cabin to find Hannah waiting for him.
_____
 The wolves were keeping their distance from Paul and his horses and
hadn’t picked up the scent of Keith’s horses or Smoke as they followed.
Keith was less than an hour behind Paul now as he was maintaining a
steadier and faster pace.
The reason he had been able to cut the gap was that Paul was getting
more worried about the wolves and where he might find sanctuary. He
began to think about taking as much of the supplies as he could from the
packhorse and then shooting it to leave it for the wolves. He wasn’t sure if
they’d be satisfied and let him go, but it remained in his mind as a last-ditch
effort to avoid being ripped apart by the savage animals.
Keith knew he was getting close and Smoke was growing more tense as
they drew nearer to the wolves. He wasn’t worried about his friend because
he’d be able to shoot at least two of the wolves which would probably
scatter the others but shooting the wolves would alert Paul to his location.
He was reasonably sure that Paul didn’t know that he was still being
followed. He knew that Paul had seen his father’s bullet hit his leg, so he
probably thought that he was alone in the woods. Keith thought he was just
lost before, but now he was running from the wolves.
So, he slowed Friday to a walk to keep the gap where it was. If he heard
gunfire, it would be Paul fending off a wolf attack. If he was smart, he’d
just pull his pistol, then turn around and shoot at the closest wolf to scare
them off. Then he’d at least be able to follow his own trail back to the road.
They’d still follow, but at least he’d be going in the right direction.
_____
In Spokane Falls, Sheriff Gillis had Deputy Thurber take three
volunteers north on the road to Colville to search for Paul’s group or Keith
Stuart. He had Deputy Nettles stay put in case either of them returned.
When he received Bill Sheffield’s telegram, he didn’t have anything to
add, but was pleased with Hannah’s decision to testify.
 What had pleased him even more was reading John Binder’s statement
that John had viewed as the final nail in Paul’s coffin. He was surprised that
John hadn’t realized that he was writing his own confession for committing
a felony. He’d known that his brother had murdered a man and attempted to
murder his wife yet hadn’t reported it.
He’d had Bill Nettles sign it as a witness before he’d stored it in his file
cabinet. When things settled down, he’d take it to Mister Benedict and have
John charged with accessory after the fact. He wondered what would
become of the Binder estate if John was convicted. He wasn’t sure but
suspected that John would still inherit and would be able to take over when
he got out of prison. That assumed that John didn’t bribe the jury.
_____
Paul knew he should pull up and let the horses rest, but he was becoming
terrified of dismounting with the wolves so close. He’d seen them skulking
between the pines and had his father’s Winchester in his hands. He’d
withhold his fire until they were close and more visible. They were still
among the trees and he doubted if he’d hit any.
He did eat some smoked beef earlier, so he wasn’t hungry. But the sun
was past its zenith and he knew that in five or six hours, he’d be alone in
the dark and the wolves would be able to launch their attack. He began to
look at the packhorse and had to make his decision soon. If he waited too
long, then he’d have even longer to ride in the dark.
He was still thinking about shooting the packhorse when his decision
was made for him by the wolves.
He hadn’t noticed the big female that had moved to a parallel position a
few yards to the right of the packhorse as her mate matched her path on the
left. Both wolves trotted in a matching pace while the other members of the
pack made themselves more visible behind the packhorse.
The bitch suddenly lunged from the right which was just a heartbeat
before the cur attacked from the other side. Both big wolves made straight
for the packhorse.
Paul was shocked out of his reverie when the wolves shot out from the
trees and sprang onto the packhorse. The horse screamed in terror and
reared, which threatened to pull Paul’s gelding down.
But his strong black horse managed to hold its footing as Paul quickly
cocked his Winchester’s hammer and fired in the direction of the male wolf.
He had to avoid hitting the rearing packhorse, so he missed, but the sound
of the nearby rifle startled the wolves and shattered the attack, at least for
the moment.
The wolf pack quickly regrouped outside of Paul’s sight as he realized
that he had a way to keep the wolves away. But he had to calm the
packhorse enough to turn around, so he fired twice more where the wolves
had gone before he reached across and tried to calm the packhorse.
Keith wasn’t startled by the gunfire as he’d been expecting it. He now
believed that Paul would soon be riding back towards him at a rapid pace,
so he pulled Friday to a stop and slid his Winchester out of its scabbard. He
then told Smoke to stay, and the big dog sat but still stared intently ahead
with his ears focused on the sounds.
Paul settled the packhorse enough to get away from the wolves, then
turned his gelding around and set him off at a medium trot. He still held his
Winchester as he scanned for the wolves, but thought they’d run off.
The wolves hadn’t run away, but simply changed their tactics after the
alpha wolf had decided that the human was the bigger danger. She and her
mate would launch their second attack at the rider and get him onto the
ground. Then the entire pack could take their time with the horses.
If the pack hadn’t gone more than a week without a good kill, they
would have let the human and his two horses leave, but they were hungry,
and winter was coming.
 Paul relaxed somewhat as he hadn’t seen any wolves for a couple of
minutes, so he focused on the path ahead as he followed his own path.
He was looking down when the wolves launched their second attack and
this time, he was horrified when the two big animals slammed into him on
both sides with their big toothy jaws open as if to devour him as he sat in
the saddle. They grabbed hold of the heavy wool of his coat’s forearms
making him drop his Winchester.
His gelding twisted violently trying to shake the big animals free and just
after his repeater fell both wolves lost their grip and toppled to the forest
floor. Paul struggled to keep from falling as his black gelding twisted in
terror. But as the other members of the pack arrived, he knew that he had to
do something, so he managed to pull his Colt and began to fire at the
rushing wolves.
Keith heard the wolf attack and then the gunfire and knew that he
couldn’t just stay put and let the wolves win. He set Friday into a trot and
headed for the chaotic man versus animal battle just ahead.
Paul had emptied his revolver and was shocked that the wolves hadn’t
retreated from the sound. He hadn’t even hit one of them and his horse was
still bouncing in terror. The packhorse was kicking his hooves at the
attackers, so Paul thought his only option was to cut the animal loose and
offer him as a sacrifice to the wolves.
He reached for his knife to cut the trail rope, but it slipped from his hand
and joined his Winchester on the ground.
“Son of a bitch!” he exclaimed as the wolves pressed their attack.

He tried to get his gelding to run away, but it began mimicking the
packhorse by lashing at the wolves with its hind hooves.
Paul thought about reloading his pistol but knew he wouldn’t be able to
do it unless his horse stopped bouncing.
 Keith spotted Paul on his horse and made an instant evaluation of the
situation. He had to find the alpha wolf and make it his first target. He
wasn’t the least concerned about Paul as he had dropped his repeater and
must have emptied his Colt. He just hated having to shoot the wolves when
he should be shooting the man they were trying to have for lunch. The
temptation to hold fire was still there, but he knew he had to shoot the gray
wolves.

It took him less than ten seconds to identify the pack leader and had to
wait until she had exposed herself enough for a clean shot before he fired.
As his Winchester’s report rolled through the forest, Paul was stunned by
the sound and then watched as one of the wolves yelped loudly and fell to
the ground. He looked ahead and saw Keith Stuart as he prepared for a
second shot. For a moment, he thought that he was the target, but soon
realized that Stuart was shooting at the wolves.
Keith shot the male that was about to leap at Paul again then shifted to
one of the wolves near the packhorse. It was only after he’s shot the third
one that the other animals raced away into the forest.
Keith kept his Winchester ready as he walked Friday closer to Paul
Binder. He now had a problem that he hadn’t anticipated. He’d expected
Paul to be armed and scare him enough to make him at least point his gun
in his direction, but now he was disarmed.
Keith knew he could shoot him, and no one would doubt his word or
even the morality of what he did. But he knew that he would judge himself
if he shot Paul. He was sure that Paul’s Colt was empty, so even if he aimed
it at him, Keith knew he couldn’t shoot the man. It was the most frustrating
situation he could imagine. The man had tried to kill Hannah, then without
a second thought, he’d murdered Angus. Now he was alone and unarmed,
and Keith couldn’t administer the justice that Angus deserved. He was
ashamed of himself.
Paul watched as Keith Stuart walked his horse closer and slid his empty
Colt into his holster. He expected that Stuart would shoot him anyway but
wasn’t going to give him an excuse.
When Keith was just a few feet away, he dismounted and picked up
Paul’s Winchester and knife. He silently handed both to Paul and didn’t
even look at him before he walked to each of the wolves and kicked them to
make sure they were dead. He wasn’t worried about them returning to life
and attacking, he just didn’t want them to suffer if they were still alive.
Paul continued to stare at Stuart and briefly thought about shooting him
with his Winchester. It was already cocked, and Stuart’s back was just thirty
feet away. He decided not to do it, not out of respect or gratitude that Stuart
had saved his life, but because he suspected that it was a trick. He released
the repeater’s hammer and slid it back into its scabbard before replacing his
knife. One of the reasons for his decision was seeing the four saddled
horses that trailed behind Stuart’s packhorse. If he’d killed all four of those
tough men even after he’d been shot, then Paul had no doubt that he didn’t
stand a chance.
He glanced down at Stuart’s left leg and didn’t see any sign of the
gunshot wound. He wondered if the guide knew of some magical Indian
method for making wounds instantly heal themselves.
Keith scanned for the rest of the wolf pack but knew they wouldn’t
return until after the humans were gone. They’d feast on the corpses before
the scavengers arrived so they wouldn’t follow either.
He mounted Friday and finally looked at Paul.
He had so much he wanted to say, but all he said was, “Let’s get
moving.”
Before Paul could reply, Keith turned Friday around and rode away. He
was so disgusted with himself that he didn’t even care if Paul had shot him
when he was inspecting the wolf carcasses. If he wanted to take a shot now,
he might miss and then Keith wouldn’t feel compelled to withhold fire. But
he suspected that Paul wouldn’t bother. He was probably going to return to
Spokane Falls and his father would get him out of this mess. He might even
convince Sheriff Gillis to charge him for murdering those four killers that
Paul had hired.

Keith would guide the bastard to the roadway and let him ride south
while he headed back to his cabin in shame. He wasn’t even sure that he’d
be able to face Hannah after he told her that he’d let her husband go. He’d
told Paul that Hannah was still alive, too. So, maybe he’d come to the cabin
after all and that would be an entirely different situation. But he suspected
that Paul would just stay in his sanctuary of Spokane Falls and live happily
ever after.
Paul had no idea what Stuart was thinking but never suspected that it
included just letting him return alive to Spokane Falls. He believed that
Stuart was planning some hideously painful method for his execution and
was waiting until the sun went down before he carried it out.
He was far enough away where he thought he could pull his rifle and get
off a shot, but still believed that Stuart was setting him up. He finally
decided that his only chance to survive was to wait until they stopped and
once Stuart unsaddled his horse, he’d race away, following his own trail
back to the road. The only difficulty would be if Stuart pulled his pistol and
kept him under his gun while he dismounted. But Paul couldn’t think of any
other way to survive to see tomorrow’s sunrise.
What Paul hadn’t noticed was the big wolf-like dog that had stayed out
of sight behind him and his packhorse. If he’d pulled his Winchester to try
to shoot Keith in the back, Paul would have become the victim of a much
more vicious attack than he’d experienced earlier. Smoke sensed the hate in
the human riding behind his friend and wouldn’t hesitate to defend him.
Keith had almost forgotten about Paul as Friday followed the trail. His
focus had shifted to Hannah. He’d probably be seeing her again tomorrow
and was trying to come up with a way to explain his failure. She was better
now, but she might still be angry with him. Even if she wasn’t, he was
worried that she would be so disappointed with him that she would lose her
respect for him. He didn’t know if he could handle it if she did.
 _____
As Keith and Paul made their silent ride west through the forest, Deputy
Thurber and his three volunteers were staring at the four bodies after
peeling back the tarp.
Bart said, “I know the Martin brothers, but not the other two.”
“That one’s Joe Babcock and the other is Arnie Jones. They all work for
Binder,” replied Harry Holder.
Bart grimaced when he saw the damage to Al Martin’s face but said,
“They were all shot in the front, so I reckon they were trying to shoot Keith
Stuart.”
Willie Johnson said, “He musta been real lucky to get all four of ‘em.
Where are their horses?”
“I imagine that Stuart has them. Let’s see where they went, then we’ll
head back to town, so I can make my report.”
“What are we gonna do with the bodies?”
“Leave ‘em. If my boss wants the mortician to come out here later, I’ll
show him where they are. Just cover them up again.”
After the tarp was pulled over the bodies again and covered with more
branches, the four men mounted and returned to the road. Deputy Thurber
soon found the trail Keith had left as he led five horses into the forest before
they headed back to Spokane Falls.
_____
Keith wasn’t tired and it was still late in the afternoon, but he decided
that he’d give Paul a chance to run. So, he pulled Friday to a stop and
dismounted. He didn’t say a word before he began unsaddling his horse.
Paul still suspected a trap, so he began walking his gelding to his right to
build up a gap before shifting him back to their original path. He only left
fifty yards between him and Stuart, but he felt safer. He kept his eyes glued
on Stuart who still hadn’t even bothered to look his way.
After he’d passed the guide who was still unsaddling his horse, Paul
nudged his gelding into a medium trot and twisted in the saddle to keep
Stuart in focus. He was staring backwards past his packhorse when he lost
sight of the guide then pushed his black into a faster pace.
He looked ahead again just in time to avoid being knocked from his
saddle by a thick branch but exulted in his escape. He slowed his horse
because he still had a long ride ahead and he needed to keep the trail in
sight. He was grateful that Stuart had taken the four horses with him
because it made the trail even easier to spot.
Paul knew that he’d probably have to set up a camp for the night, but it
would be as far away from Stuart as possible and it would be on the trail.
He knew that not even Stuart could follow in the dark.
Keith kept unsaddling horses until each of them was free of their burdens
then led them all to the fast-flowing stream. He let them drink and then
wander to a small clearing to graze as Smoke finally reappeared.
He scratched his friend behind his ear and said, “I’m sorry I had to shoot
your kin, Smoke. I know that you’re not fond of them, but I hated doing it
and letting that skunk go. They were only killing because it’s what God
designed them to do. That bastard I let ride away killed because his father
didn’t like Hannah’s heritage and he needed to keep Angus from finding
her.
“You’re probably going to tell me that I only shot the wolves to protect
his horses, but we both know better. I’m beyond just being embarrassed
about this, Smoke. I’m ashamed for not doing what I vowed to do. I’ll have
to return to Colville and tell Hannah that her husband is still alive even
though I could have administered the justice he deserved. What’s even more
frustrating is that I have all sorts of weapons with me from bow and arrow
to a Sharps-Borshadt, but I didn’t even glare at him.”
 Keith patted Smoke on his head and began to set up camp. He’d leave
early in the morning and probably arrive at his cabin after sunset. Then the
next day, he’d go into Colville and explain everything to Bill Sheffield
before he confessed to Hannah. He dreaded seeing the disappointment in
her dark eyes.

_____
“I’m not going to send anyone out there for those bodies. To hell with
them. They got what they deserved, so let the critters have them. You didn’t
see Stuart or Paul Binder?”

“No, sir. I saw where Stuart led the four horses into the forest, probably
chasing Paul. I didn’t follow because I had no idea how deep they’d gone
into the wild.”
“You did everything right, Bart. I’ll send a telegram to Bill Sheffield just
to keep him updated but I want you and Jack to set up a schedule to keep an
eye on the road over the next day or two. If you see Paul returning, arrest
him and toss him in a cell.”
“Okay, boss. What are you going to do about John Binder?”
“I’ve already talked to Ted Benedict and he’s going to charge John with
accessory after the fact, but he wants to wait until we find his older
brother.”

His deputies both nodded before Sheriff Gillis left his office to send the
telegram to Colville. He wished that he had more information, but the
details he did have at least meant that Keith Stuart was now not only one on
one with Paul Binder; he was also in his element. If Paul had been a good
man, Tom Gillis would have pitied him, but the sheriff felt a measure of
satisfaction knowing that Keith Stuart would punish the arrogant murderer
much more than the territory would.
_____
 Hannah was ready to leave Angus’ house and expected the sheriff’s wife
to arrive with her buggy soon.

She’d been fidgety ever since the sheriff had visited and had to remind
herself to eat as she waited for more news from Spokane Falls. Keith had
been shot and was now being pursued by five men intent on killing him.
She knew that he was extremely capable and hoped that he stayed in the
forest where he was at his best, but with his gunshot wound, he probably
took the fastest route back and stayed on the road. But if he had ridden all
night, he would have been back already. Something had happened and she
didn’t want to think about it.
She paced the front room and kept glancing out of the window. She may
have been waiting for a buggy to arrive, but she hoped that she’d see the
sheriff show up with another telegram, too. But if he did, she wanted to see
a smile on his face as he walked to the porch.

Sheriff Sheffield read the telegram and shook his head.

“What happened, Bill?” Colby asked.

“Keith took out four of the bastards that Binder hired and then chased
him into the forest. That’s all they know so far. I guess Paul Binder must
have run pretty deep into the woods to escape but that would be a bad idea.”
“I reckon so. I would have thought Keith would have already caught up
with him by now.”

“He probably has, so I figure we’ll be seeing him soon. If he brings

Binder’s body back to Spokane Falls, we’ll get a telegram first, though. I’m
going to run this over to Hannah before my wife takes her away.”
Colby nodded but didn’t dare make a comment about Hannah living
alone out of town after the sheriff’s stern warning.

Hannah saw Mrs. Sheffield’s buggy rolling to a stop in front of the house
and snatched the shotgun from the table then picked up her bag of clothes.
She didn’t bother taking any food from the pantry because none of it was
perishable.

She had left the front door open, so after she passed onto the porch, she
kicked it closed before stepping down to the ground and walking toward the
waiting buggy.
Mrs. Sheffield smiled as she said, “Hello, Hannah. My husband told me
all about you, so please call me Fannie.”

“Thank you for giving me a ride, Fannie,” she said before placing her
bag on the seat and the shotgun on the floor.
Just as she was about to step inside, she heard her name called out and
turned to find the sheriff running towards the buggy. He was carrying a
telegram in his hand, and she didn’t see a smile on his face, so she felt a
stab of despair shoot through her as she waited for him to arrive.
When he was close, she asked, “Is it bad news?”
Sheriff Sheffield stopped jogging and took a deep breath before replying,
“No, Hannah. It’s not bad at all. I just…I just needed to get some air.”
Hannah almost fell to her knees in relief but before she could ask what
the message said, the sheriff handed her the yellow sheet.
She quickly read it and then after glancing at the sheriff, read it again.
Keith had killed the four men that Paul had hired but there was no news
about him or Paul after they’d gone into the forest.
She gave the message back to the sheriff and asked, “What do you think
happened? Why haven’t they found Keith? He was shot before he left
Spokane Falls.”
“I know, but he took out the four hard men and chased Paul into the
woods. That murdering bastard didn’t stand much of a chance when he was
in town, and now he’s in the last place he would want to go. I’ll bet when
the bullets started flying, he took off and figured that Keith wouldn’t follow
him because of his gunshot wound. The only reason Keith isn’t back yet is
that Binder probably ran so far into the forest that he got lost. Keith will
either show up here or bring Binder’s body back into Spokane Falls.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty much. Don’t worry, Hannah. In a way, Paul Binder is almost
lucky that he won’t be returning to his hometown. If he shows up in
Spokane Falls, he’s going to be arrested and then hanged for murdering
Angus and trying to murder you. He won’t be able to buy any of the men in
our jury, I’ll promise you that. He’s better off taking one of Keith’s bullets.”
“I don’t care what happens to him as long as Keith returns to me.”
“Did you notice the other line in the telegram about John Binder?”

“I did, but it didn’t seem that important.”

“It wasn’t meant to be obvious because I don’t think Tom Gillis trusts his
telegraphers. He just wrote that John had provided him with a full statement
about what Paul had done. That means that he’s going to charge him with
accessory after the fact because he knew that Paul had killed Angus and
attempted to murder you but hadn’t reported the crime.”
“Is the trial going to be here, too?”
“No, ma’am. It’ll be down in Spokane County. I think Tom will be
tickled pink when he arrests John Binder, too. He didn’t seem fond of either
of the boys. I know the type.”

“Thank you for everything, Sheriff. I’ll be waiting for Keith at the
cabin.”
“I’m sure he’ll be mighty happy to find you, Hannah. I wish I could be
there to see his face when you tell him that you’re not married.”
“I would probably be a widow even if the marriage hadn’t been
annulled.”
 She smiled as the sheriff turned and headed back to the jail before she
climbed into the buggy.

Fannie Sheffield snapped the reins then said, “I heard everything my

husband told you and I’m sure that he’s right. I’ll bet that Keith is probably
burning up the road to get back here right now.”
“I hope so,” Hannah replied as she let her imagination ride the crest of
her anticipation of Keith’s imminent return.

_____
Keith had built a deep pit and had a good-sized fire going. He had
thought about doing some hunting for their dinner, but figured he’d be
eating at home tomorrow. He inspected the four horses that he’d inherited
and found them to be good horses, but nothing special. Each wore the
Binder brand, which meant they were property of George Binder, but he
didn’t care. If George Binder wanted to send someone to his place to
retrieve them, then he could do that, but he didn’t think it was likely.

He believed that George, Paul and John Binder would all behave exactly
as they had before. They wouldn’t even think about him or Hannah
anymore and that thought only added to his frustration and disappointment
in himself.
He’d created a bean and smoked bear mix and was absent-mindedly
stirring it as Smoke sat nearby. He knew better than to give his friend
anything with beans in it, but he’d let him have a big piece of smoked
venison for supper when the mix was ready.

He wondered if Paul was going to be foolish enough to keep riding after

the sun set. He should be setting up camp by now or he’d be in danger of
getting lost again. Maybe that would be the best solution. He imagined Paul
Binder wandering the forest without any ammunition for his guns and being
stalked by another wolf pack or maybe a grizzly. He knew it was only a
hopeful dream and all Binder had to do was follow the clear trail back to the
roadway. Even if it rained, the tracks left by his six horses and Paul’s two
would remain visible for another week if not longer.
_____
Paul was more than three miles away from Keith when he pulled up to
set up camp but didn’t unsaddle his horses. He still had the nagging
suspicion that Stuart was still following him. He just pulled his bedroll from
his gelding and after unraveling it onto the ground, he pulled two tins from
his pack and sat down. He opened each tin and ate their contents as he faced
his backtrail, expecting to see Stuart appear from the trees at any moment.

After finishing his beans and corned beef supper, he tossed the empty
tins aside and belched before he began to reload his Colt and the
Winchester. He had inspected his repeater to make sure that it was clean
after it fell to the ground and didn’t see any problems.
While he continued to watch for Stuart, he had to invent yet another
cover story to tell the sheriff when he returned. He didn’t believe that it
would be difficult because Sheriff Gillis had readily believed his story
about how Stuart had killed his father. John had seemed to support him as
well and he was convinced that even if Missy had summoned the courage to
see the sheriff, he would dismiss whatever she said. Because he’d already
told the sheriff that he was going to go after Stuart, he’d even be able to
portray himself in almost heroic proportions. He could spin a tale how he’d
confronted Stuart after he’d ambushed them on the road, but after Stuart
had killed the four men, he’d run into the forest to make his escape.
Paul wasn’t sure that the sheriff would believe it if he embellished it too
much, so maybe he’d just say that Stuart jumped them and after killing the
others, he shot at him which spooked his horse and Paul had been thrown to
the ground. Stuart must have thought he was dead and just ridden into the
forest to escape from the law.
He grinned as he outlined his less heroic modification because it
sounded more realistic. The sheriff would be much more likely to believe
that he’d fallen from his horse instead of shooting it out with Keith Stuart.
 _____
Hannah waved as Fannie Sheffield rolled the buggy away. She then
picked up her bag and entered the cabin feeling as if she was home again.
After setting her bag and shotgun down, she removed her heavy coat and
hat, then unbuckled her gunbelt. She set the Colt on the kitchen table and
took a deep breath. This was her home now and soon Keith would be
returning to make it their home.

Before she did anything else, she left the cabin to see how Wednesday
and the mule were doing. She’d add more hay to the corral and pump the
trough full. She wanted Keith to have as little to do as possible when he
returned.
Her anxious enthusiasm made her almost forget how she’d behaved the
day he’d gone. She thought of Keith as a strong man and hadn’t realized
just how badly she’d hurt him.
_____
The sun had gone, and the fire was low as Keith lay on his bedroll. He’d
thought about setting up the tent but wanted to get an early start in the
morning, and he’d have to saddle six horses. Even if he was up with the
predawn, he wouldn’t be able to start riding until after the sun was up.
He kept reviewing the day and found so many things that he could have
done better. He understood why he’d made so many mistakes, but that
wasn’t an excuse. He’d made them because he didn’t understand men as
well as he did the wild critters. He’d never had to aim a gun at a man with
intent to kill him, but now he’d killed four. And the one who really had
earned a bullet was on his way home.
He needed to shift his thoughts away from Paul Binder and the only
subject he knew that could do it was Hannah. But thinking about Hannah
reminded him of how angry she had been when he’d gone. She had barely
spoken to him and he wasn’t sure if her disgust with him wasn’t permanent.
Now she was healthy and living in town and even had access to everything
that was his. Suddenly, their light exchange about marrying Colby Moore
didn’t seem so funny.  Maybe he was meant to live alone.

_____
Paul had finally accepted the fact that Stuart wasn’t coming and was able
to relax. He laid down and pulled his blanket over him as he imagined
returning to his father’s house which he now owned. He knew that he
couldn’t court Missy Granger, but there were quite a few other pretty young
women who would be more than willing to be seen with the wealthiest man
in the county.
He may have been relieved when he knew that Stuart wasn’t a threat, but
he was far from comfortable as the sounds of the forest filled the night air.
There were wolves howling in the distance and coyotes yipping from all
four points of the compass. He had his Colt at his waist and his Winchester
lying on his slicker near his right side, but still felt vulnerable.
He was trying to focus on his happy future when he heard a slight
rustling to his left and slowly turned his head to see what was making the
noise. He almost snickered when he saw a small field mouse scurrying past
before it stopped and stood on its hind legs.

He was smiling at the rodent when he was startled when a sudden

shadow flashed by and scooped the mouse from the ground. His heart was
ready to explode as the big owl left with its supper. He hadn’t even heard
the big bird and obviously neither had the mouse. It was so big, he found it
hard to imagine how silent it had been.
But it was just a bird and wasn’t about to attack him or the horses. He
wasn’t worried about the wolves as long as their howls remained distant. He
didn’t think that coyotes would attack a human, but he wasn’t sure. He
released his Colt’s hammer loop just in case.

The various sounds of the forest continued and after his initial fear Paul
began to dismiss them. In a few hours, he’d be in the saddle and on his way
out of this horrible place.
He was drifting off to sleep when the packhorse nickered. His eyes
snapped open and he looked at the still loaded animal. Even in the shadows,
he could see the whites of the animal’s eyes as it shifted and tugged at the
rope that bound it to his gelding.
Paul then looked at his black and saw the same panic in his eyes and
wondered if the wolves had returned. He slowly pulled his Colt and cocked
the hammer but didn’t see anything moving yet. But something had
frightened the horses and they could smell danger. He sat up but wished he
had better light as he scanned the dark surroundings. He felt a rising sense
of panic because the horses seemed to be getting even more fidgety but as
hard as he looked, he couldn’t see the cause.
He finally stood and began to turn in a circle with his pistol level hoping
to see what was scaring the horses yet at the same time, praying that he
didn’t.
His gelding loudly whinnied which almost made him pull his trigger, but
he was able to avoid taking the useless shot. He decided that maybe he
could frighten whatever was frightening the horses by simply shouting a
warning. Angus MacKenzie had told him that most wild animals avoided
humans. Maybe this one didn’t know he was there and only wanted his
horses.

“Get out of here! I have a gun and I’ll kill you!” he yelled as loudly as he
could.
But he still didn’t see any forest dwellers and the horses’ anxiety seemed
to be getting worse, not better.
“Go away! I’m a man, not your damned supper!”
His second warning had the same effect as his first as Paul continued to
slowly turn, looking for the intruders.
 He thought his heart was ready to explode when he finally saw
something moving in the shadows. It was enormous and he knew that his
pistol wouldn’t stop the grizzly, but he immediately fired. He continued to
fire until his Colt’s hammer clicked on empty, then he reached down for his
Winchester. But he never got his hand wrapped around the repeater before
he was slammed away from his rifle. He screamed but knew that no one
was there to save him. He continued to wail as he felt his body being ripped
apart. He finally stopped screeching when his throat was torn in half.
_____
Keith still hadn’t found sleep when he heard the distant gunfire. He sat
up and faced the direction of the sound and was sure that Paul was firing
either at a coyote or an imaginary shadow. He didn’t even think about going
to his aid as he’d have to saddle Friday and then try to search for him in the
dark. Smoke was already standing nearby and staring in the same direction.

When the firing stopped, the brief return to silence was soon shattered by
Paul’s hideous screams. The hairs on the back of Keith’s neck stood up as
the screeching continued for just another thirty seconds.
Keith knew that whatever Paul had tried to shoot had won the battle. He
still wasn’t going to leave his campsite because there was no reason. He
tossed some more wood on his dying fire but knew that Smoke would warn
him of any visitors. Unlike Paul, he was comfortable in these woods.
_____
Hannah felt warm under the quilts and blankets and wished that Keith
was with her. She had been disappointed when he hadn’t returned yet and
tried to reason why he hadn’t. If he’d brought Paul’s body back to Spokane
Falls, their sheriff would have wired Bill Sheffield. She was sure that he
would have ridden to the cabin to give her the news, but he hadn’t appeared.

She tried to keep a positive outlook on the situation, but the longer he
was gone, the more dispirited she became.
 Now she was comfortable, clean and warm but wasn’t happy. As much
as she wanted Keith to join her in the bed, she found that she missed talking
to him just as much. This was what marriage was supposed to be like. Keith
was already her confidant and friend, now she wanted him to be her
husband and lover.

“Come home to me, Keith,” she whispered before she closed her eyes.
 CHAPTER 9
Keith had all of the horses saddled and had shifted the pack saddle to one
of the other horses to give Beggar a break. He mounted and started Friday
at a walk following the trail. He doubted if he’d find Paul’s body intact but
expected to find parts of him left by whatever had attacked him last night.
He suspected that the wolves had gouged his horses in the attack, so their
blood scent would have attracted predators. He hadn’t seen any injuries, but
he hadn’t spent much time looking at Paul or his horses. They were both
black, so he might have missed them anyway. The fact that the animals
might have been hurt by the wolves or even taken down by whatever sharp-
fanged beast arrived last night bothered him much more than whatever had
happened to Paul Binder.
He still felt ashamed for not being the one to have taken Paul’s life, but
at least he wasn’t going to return to his home and live a blissful life. Keith
hoped he was burning in hell already. The likelihood that he’d find Paul
Binder still breathing was remote. If he did, that would pose another moral
dilemma.

He kept his animals moving at a slow pace as he searched the path

ahead. The gunfire and screaming sounded distant, so he didn’t expect to
see the carnage soon.
It was thirty minutes later, when he entered a small clearing that he
spotted the two horses. Paul’s tall black gelding was tethered to a pine and
the packhorse was secured to him with a trail rope. He pulled Friday to a
stop and scanned the surrounding ground for Paul’s remains but didn’t see
anything other than a bedroll and his Winchester.

He started Friday walking again and angled him toward the bedroll.
Before he got there, he spotted Paul’s Colt lying on the ground. When he
was closer, he saw blood on the grips and knew that it was Paul’s and not
from whatever animal he’d tried to kill.

Keith stepped down near the bedroll and let Smoke control the horses as
he stepped over to the Colt and picked it up by the barrel. The blood was
dry, so he carried it back to Friday and took down his canteen. He returned
to the bedroll, poured water on the grips and wiped off the blood on the
sleeping bag. He then checked the cylinders and found that Paul had
emptied them at the animal.
He picked up the Winchester and didn’t waste any time to check its load
before he began to examine the ground for the paw prints of the animals
that had taken every bit of Paul Binder from the earth. It didn’t take long for
him to find them and knew that there was no point in trying to retrieve
Paul’s remains.

He carried the two weapons to Paul’s horse and after returning the
Winchester to his scabbard, he dropped the Colt into his saddlebag. Then he
examined the horse and was pleased to see that the handsome animal didn’t
have any damage. He assumed that he’d been unintentionally protected by
his rider.
He then walked to the packhorse who was too good to be used as a beast
of burden and was annoyed with Paul for leaving them both saddled
overnight. He found two long scratches on the horse’s left flank, but neither
was deep. He pulled a spare shirt out of one of Paul’s packs, soaked it in
water and then cleaned the packhorse’s wounds. Then he went to his own
packs, pulled out a Mason jar of bear fat and scooped some into his hands.

After slathering the fat over the wounds, he said, “They’re not too bad.
When I get you home, I’ll put some proper salve over them, and no one
would even notice them after a while. I was shot a couple of days ago, and
it not only still hurts like the devil. I’ll have a hideous scar for the rest of
my life, too.”
He patted the horse on the neck, then used the discarded wet shirt to
clean his hands before tossing it to the ground. He then untied the big black
and led both animals to his herd and added them to the other four.

He mounted Friday and set him to a walk again. He could have moved
faster but didn’t feel ready to go back to civilization. He had already
decided that even though Spokane Falls was probably closer, he’d head
home to his cabin. What he did when he arrived was another question. He
needed time to think. If he didn’t have such a big collection of animals, he
might even head back to the waterfall to apologize to Angus.
That thought answered his question of what he should do. He hadn’t
found justice for Angus, but he had another task that he needed to do before
he returned to his cabin.

As he rode among the tall pines and wound his way back to the road, he
didn’t have a clue that his whereabouts had become an item of intense
interest in both ends of that roadway.
_____

He kept such a slow pace that by the time he reached the road, the sun
had already set. He turned north on the roadway and kept his parade
moving a medium trot. He estimated that he had another thirty miles to go
before he reached his cabin. Once he arrived, he’d strip all of the horses
except for Friday and the one carrying his packs. Then he’d turn the
unsaddled horses loose in the corral and ride into town where he’d leave a
note for the sheriff. After that, he’d head out to the waterfall.
There was enough moonlight, and he was so familiar with that part of the
forest that he wasn’t worried about getting lost. He wasn’t even tired, which
surprised him.

_____
Hannah had been on edge since she’d returned to the cabin and had tried
to function as if it was a normal day. She’d even taken a bath after making
her supper but was still tense. She was much more worried after sunset and
after waiting in the lamplight for another two hours, she finally dropped the
blocking bar into its angle irons and blew out the lamp.

She slid beneath the covers with a sense of dread acting as another quilt.
Just because Keith had eliminated the four hard men that didn’t mean he
was safe. He had a gunshot wound when he had chased Paul into the forest,
so he was already weakened. Paul wasn’t exactly an outdoorsman, but all
he’d have to do is keep going until Keith lost a lot of blood. Keith could be
lying on the ground right now and Paul would just have to follow his own
trail back to Spokane Falls.
She’d find out tomorrow if Paul returned to town because their sheriff
would arrest him and send Bill Sheffield a telegram.
But what if he didn’t
get back? What if Paul knew he was in trouble and went somewhere else?
Hannah closed her eyes and tried to calm her troubled mind but couldn’t.
She finally slipped into sleep because she was exhausted from the constant
worry.
_____

Keith had taken a break to let the horses get something to drink and
graze while he wrote his note in the moonlight. It was written on the only
paper he had, a sheet from his small notepad. He only included three short
sentences: he’d had to shoot the four men in a gunfight, Paul Binder had
been taken by a big grizzly and that he would return in three days after
visiting Angus.
After folding the notepaper and slipping it into his jacket pocket with the
cash and the silver wolf, he mounted Friday and set off again. He figured he
only had another ten miles to go and it was around midnight. He still wasn’t
tired, and he attributed it to the nagging pain from his recently cauterized
wound.

He kept the horses moving at a decent pace as he headed north to his

cabin. He was just an hour or so out when he noticed that he was losing the
moonlight. He glanced upward and knew that the long-delayed rain was
about to arrive. He’d been surprised that it had held off so long and
suspected that this wasn’t going to be a short shower.

He twisted in the saddle, pulled his slicker from behind the seat and slid
it on. He thought he had another two or three hours before it started falling,
but he wasn’t taking any chances.
He soon spotted his cabin in the failing moonlight and didn’t even think
of going inside. He soon rode into the barn and dismounted. It only took
him thirty minutes to unsaddle the horses that he would be leaving behind.
He just left all of their tack, weapons and everything else they were
carrying on the floor of the barn before leading them into the corral. He
spent a few more minutes gathering more hay and tossing it into the corral
until there was enough for a week or so.

Before he left, he patted Wednesday on her flank and said, “I brought

you better company than the mule, ma’am. They have good stories to tell
you, too.”
He grinned then left the corral and returned to the barn. He moved some
of Paul’s supplies to the unnamed horse that was acting as his new
packhorse then mounted Friday and walked him out of the barn.

The rain still wasn’t falling as he headed for Colville, but he didn’t think
it would hold off much longer.
When he arrived in the quiet town, he pulled up before the jail and
pulled the folded note from his coat pocket. He slid it beneath the front door
and then stepped back into the saddle.

Before he left, he headed for Angus’ house. He wanted to leave Hannah

a peace offering in case she was still mad at him.
When he reached the small house, he dismounted and stepped onto the
porch. He wasn’t going to wake Hannah, so he just pulled the silver wolf
from his pocket and set it on the porch near the door. Between the note and
the wolf, at least she’d know he was safe.
 He walked back to Friday, stepped into the saddle then looked down.

“Let’s go visit Angus, Smoke. We’re going to get wet, but we’re both
used to it.”
He nudged Friday into a medium trot and soon left the town. He turned
south and soon found the triangle cut that Angus had taken when he’d first
led Paul and Hannah into the forest.

The rain held off for another thirty minutes after he entered the
wilderness, but when it arrived, it was in the form of a true downpour. Keith
continued to ride east and followed the same path that he’d taken the last
time. He knew he’d have to pull up soon to let the horses rest but knew
where he’d stop.
After another ten minutes of riding in the drenching rain, he pulled
Friday to a stop near a small bluff. There wasn’t a cave but there was an
overhang that jutted out about six feet that would keep most of the rain off.
He dismounted and began to set up his camp close to the base of the bluff.

He didn’t use the tent because he knew it would be day soon. He just
pulled one of the tarps from the packhorse and spread it on the wet ground
before laying out his bedroll. He covered the bedroll with a spare slicker
then took some smoked meat from the pack. After giving Smoke his due, he
began to chew his own piece as he looked out at the rain-drenched dark
forest.
Keith knew he should get some sleep but the drumming of the heavy
precipitation seemed to mesmerize him. He remained standing for another
twenty minutes before he slid beneath the slicker using the bedroll as a
mattress. He wasn’t about to undress.

_____
Keith was still sleeping when the sky began to lighten. The rain
continued unabated as folks in Colville began to start their day.
 Sheriff Sheffield scraped the mud from his boots on the boardwalk
before he quickly unlocked the door. He stepped inside and pulled off his
slicker then snapped it to shake off the water. Stuck on the bottom of his left
boot was a small sheet of folded paper that was already brown with mud.

He stepped to the row of pegs, hung his slicker and heavy coat on the
wall then added his hat. He was usually the first one to arrive, so he opened
the heat stove door and began to toss in some kindling. After adding some
kerosene, he tossed in a match and then added a scoop of coal before
closing the door.
By the time he sat behind the desk, he had the coffeepot filled and
heating, so he began to thumb through the paperwork that Colby hadn’t
finished.
He’d finished reading everything just as Colby opened the door and
repeated the sheriff’s earlier actions when he stomped his feet then removed
his slicker and shook off the accumulated water.
“It’s really coming down out there,” he said as he removed his coat.
“What is?”
Colby snickered as he hung his coat, hat and slicker beside the sheriff’s
then asked, “Did we hear anything from Spokane Falls?”
“Not a word. I reckon we’ll get a telegram soon, though.”
“I figured that Keith would have been back by now; don’t you?”
“Yup. I didn’t want to tell Hannah, but I’m beginning to worry a bit. I
can’t see it taking him that long to run down a city boy like Paul Binder.
The line about Keith being shot before he left the Binder place makes me
nervous.”
“Me, too. I guess all we can do now is to wait.”
“That’s all. I was a bit concerned that Hannah might saddle a horse and
ride down there on her own to find Keith, but this rain will make it a lot less
likely.”
“Do you want me to go out there and make sure she’s not going to leave,
boss?”
The sheriff may have warned his deputy about visiting Hannah while
Keith was gone, but that was now secondary to his combined concerns that
Keith may be dead and that Hannah may still decide to search for him. He
thought that maybe Colby would have a better chance to keep her from
leaving than he would.
“Let’s wait for a little while. If we haven’t heard a word from Tom
Gillis, then you can head out there. Try to dissuade her from leaving the
cabin but don’t stay very long. Okay?”
“Yes, sir. Do you want me to make the coffee?”
“Not on your life,” the sheriff replied as he stood.
Neither of them noticed the muddy, soaked paper stuck to the sheriff’s
sole.
_____
Hannah stared out the window as the rain pounded on the cabin’s roof.
She could only see about a hundred yards which only added to her
frustration.
Where was Keith?
He should have been back long before now
and he was still missing.

She wished it wasn’t raining so badly or she would have saddled

Wednesday and made the ride to Spokane Falls. She wasn’t about to see her
father or John Binder but would just visit Sheriff Gillis. She desperately
craved more information than the scanty news that she had.
She whirled about and walked to the kitchen area to make her breakfast.
She had so many plans to welcome Keith home but now didn’t care about
any celebrations. She just wanted him back.
_____
 Keith was riding through the pines following his familiar path and it
wasn’t long before he found some of Angus’ marks in the tree trunks. If
anyone else had seen them, they would appear to be nothing more than
missing bark. But Keith knew what they were and finding them reminded
him of his failure. Angus had carved those marks into the trees not realizing
that he’d never see them on his return.
When he arrived at the waterfall, he would do what he should have done
when he’d found Hannah. Because he’d had to care for her, he hadn’t taken
the time to gather stones to cover Angus’ gravesite. He’d do that now and
carve a temporary memorial cross, too. He was sure that no one else would
ever see the grave, but he wanted to honor Angus’ memory.
As the rain continued to pelt his slicker and head, Keith shifted his
thoughts away from his embarrassing failure to Angus as he remembered
him. He smiled when he let those images fill his mind. Angus was such a
cheerful young man and he and Eva made a delightful couple. He had been
jealous of their happiness but not in a bad way.
Now they were together for eternity and he didn’t doubt that they were
still laughing together. It was how marriages were supposed to be. He knew
that even the most loving couples argued, but Angus and Eva were a perfect
match. Maybe in a few years, that would have changed, but he didn’t think
so. His memories were all he had of Angus and Eva and wished that he’d
had a photograph taken at their wedding.
He still had their house and that swung his mind back to Hannah.
Were
he and Hannah a good match?
He had thought so before the last day they’d
spent together. Until she’d slammed the bedroom door, he had enjoyed
every moment he’d been with her. But as surprising as her reaction had
been that night, it was her silence the next morning before he’d gone that
had driven him to ask himself that question.
He had ridden for three hours before he turned to the left to head for the
stream that would take him to the waterfall.
 When he found the stream, it was threatening to overflow its low banks
and he knew it would only get worse as the rain showed no signs of letting
up. He followed the rushing stream and knew that he’d arrive at the
waterfall in the early afternoon.
_____
Hannah was pacing in the front room as the annoying thrumming of the
rain above her head taunted her. She couldn’t ride anywhere in this rain and
even if it suddenly stopped, it was already too late for her to ride to
Spokane Falls.
She glanced out the window and was startled when she spotted a rider.
He didn’t have a packhorse, so she knew it wasn’t Keith. She soon
recognized Colby Moore despite his face being obscured by his hat’s
lowered brim.
She felt a wave of panic believing that he was bringing her tragic news.
She didn’t understand why he would be the one to tell her and not the
sheriff but headed for the door and removed the locking bar.

After she opened the door, Colby saw her and waved before he pulled
his horse to a stop before the cabin and dismounted. He tied his reins to the
hitchrail and stepped onto the porch.
As he removed his hat, Hannah quickly asked, “What happened? Did
you get a telegram from Sheriff Gillis?”
“No, Hannah. May I come inside? I’m a trifle damp.”
“Of course.”

“Thank you,” Colby said as he wiped the mud from his boots then
stepped past her.
Hannah walked inside and closed the door while Colby removed his
slicker. He didn’t shake it this time but hung it on one of the nearby pegs
and began to unbutton his coat.
 “Would you like some coffee?” she asked.

“That would be great,” he replied.

Hannah walked quickly to shelf, took down a mug and filled it with
steaming coffee as Colby took a seat at the kitchen table.
She set the mug in front of him then sat down and asked, “Do you have
any more information for me?”
“No, ma’am. We expected to hear from Sheriff Gillis this morning, but
we still haven’t heard a word. My boss and I were just concerned that you
might try to ride off in the rain. That would be a dangerous thing to do, so
he sent me here to talk you out of it.”

“I was going to ride to Spokane Falls but the rain is too heavy. Now it’s
too late to go anywhere even if the rain stopped.”
He sipped the coffee then said, “I’m glad that you decided to stay put,
Hannah. I think it would have been a pointless journey anyway.”

“It may have been foolish, but why would it have been pointless?”
He paused before replying, “I don’t know if I should tell you this, but the
sheriff and I both believe that Keith may not be returning at all.”

Hannah should have been shocked, but she wasn’t. The sheriff and
deputy’s assessment mimicked her own fears. She just had refused to admit
that it was possible.
“Do you think that he’s dead?” she asked softly.

“I don’t know, Hannah. It’s just that between the long delay and his
gunshot wound, the likelihood that he survived is growing less with each
hour that he’s still gone.”
Hannah closed her eyes but didn’t shed a tear. She took a deep breath
and slowly exhaled before she opened them again.

“I guess all I can do is wait now.”

 “That’s what the sheriff said before I left. It’s all any of us can do.”
Colby studied Hannah’s face and wondered how committed she was to
Keith. She hadn’t wept when he had suggested that Keith was dead, so
maybe it wasn’t as serious as he had thought.
“I’m a bit worried about you being out here alone, Hannah. Some of
those hunting parties that come here looking for Keith might take advantage
of you.”

“I use the locking bar over there when I go to sleep. I’m not worried.”
“I still think you’d be safer in town.”

Hannah looked at Colby and thought about it. Keith wouldn’t be

expecting her in the cabin anyway, so maybe it would be better if she
moved back into Angus’ house, despite the creepiness.
After a few seconds, she decided that she’d still rather stay in the cabin.
If Keith returned, he’d need to see the sheriff and then he’d be told that she
had moved back into the cabin.
“I think that I’ll still stay here, Colby. I don’t feel comfortable in Angus’
house for obvious reasons. I belong here.”
“Okay. I’ll check on you each evening to make sure that you’re all
right.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your concern.”
Colby smiled before he continued to drink his coffee.

Hannah liked Colby and wasn’t worried about his stopping by. Fannie
Sheffield had told her that her husband had warned Colby about visiting her
in town which had made her laugh. Obviously, the sheriff was no longer
concerned about his deputy, but had already assumed that Keith was dead.
Colby finished his coffee, then stood and smiled as Hannah rose from
her seat.
 “Thank you for the coffee and the conversation, Hannah. You’re a very
special young lady.”

“And thank you for the compliment, Colby.”

“I’m just telling you the truth, Hannah.”
Hannah smiled at him before she walked toward the door.
Colby admired her figure as he stepped behind her and then took his coat
from the peg and pulled it on. He buttoned his coat and then donned his
slicker before taking his hat.
He turned to Hannah who was just two feet away and said, “I’ll see you
later, Hannah.”
“Maybe the rain will stop by then.”
He laughed then pulled on his hat and opened the door.
He walked onto the small porch before untying his horse and stepping
into the mud before he mounted.

Hannah stood in the doorway and smiled as she waved.

Colby waved back then turned his horse around and headed back to
town.
After she closed the door, Hannah hesitated about putting the locking bar
back in place. She finally left it on the floor and headed back to the
cookstove to pour herself a cup of coffee.
If she’d looked out the side window toward the barn, she would have
been shocked to see so many horses in the corral. She would have
recognized Rattler and Paul’s black gelding and realized that Keith had
visited in the night. But she never looked because she wasn’t going
anywhere with this rain.
_____
 After Colby had gone, Sheriff Sheffield finally noticed the scrap of paper
on the bottom of his foot and wondered how it had gotten there. He peeled
it off his boot’s sole then when he unfolded it, he found it almost impossible
to read. He had no idea who had left it and other than a few words and
letters that made no sense to him at all, it was useless.
He knew it wasn’t a telegram because it was just a scrap of paper, so it
couldn’t have been important. He walked to the heating stove, opened the
door and tossed it into the fire. Whoever wrote the note would stop by later
after the sheriff hadn’t responded to whatever request had been left on the
floor.
When Colby returned from visiting Hannah, the sheriff didn’t even
mention the note.
Instead he said, “I hope she was still there.”
Colby was shaking out his slicker as he replied, “Yes, sir. She seemed in
a pretty good mood all things considered.”

“Really? She wasn’t worried about Keith at all?”

“She was, but not as much as I had expected. She said that she wasn’t
going to ride anywhere, at least not until tomorrow.”
“Maybe you ought to go and make sure she doesn’t.”
“Yes, sir.”

He opened a desk drawer and pulled out the silver wolf.

“Before I forget. I found this on Angus’ porch when I checked it on my
rounds. She must have forgotten it when my wife drove her to the cabin. Be
sure you give it to her the next time you see her. She’s lucky somebody else
didn’t find it first.”
Colby accepted the silver wolf and said, “It’s really good work. I
wouldn’t mind having it myself.”
 “Just give it to her, Colby. Then get back here and don’t dally.”
“Yes, sir.”
He dropped it into his coat pocket then took it off an hung it on a peg. He
planned to comply with the sheriff’s suggestion sooner than he probably
expected.
_____
Keith heard the waterfall over the pounding rain and soon made the last
turn before it came into sight. He had expected that the pool would be larger
with the rain but was surprised just how big it had grown.
He kept Friday walking toward the pool and when he was close, he saw
how close it had come to Angus’ gravesite. He’d have to build a levee to
keep it from reaching the grave before he did anything else.
He turned Friday into the trees and soon stepped down near the spot
where Hannah had fallen. The rain was still dripping from the covering
pines, but it wasn’t nearly as drenching as it was in the open.

He dismounted and quickly began setting up his campsite. He stretched

out the tarp and began unloading the packhorse. Once it was clear of the
packs, he set his long guns on the tarp and unsaddled Friday before he
folded the tarp over the top.
He hadn’t brought his shovel, so he quickly left Smoke in charge of the
horses and left the trees. He walked to Angus’ gravesite and dug his fingers
into the dirt to retrieve his spade. He didn’t have to search as the mud that
covered the small shovel had created a raised outline of the tool.

He took four long strides toward the waterfall and then used the spade to
make a long furrow from the rocks at the base of the cliff to the trees. It was
only about forty feet and the wet earth parted easily. He only wanted to
make a single shallow gouge before he began building the low dike. He
figured it only needed to be six inches tall at the most.
 Keith worked his way from the cliff, shoveling the dirt on the creek side
of the trench onto the other side. It made the furrow deeper and added
height to the other side. The rain didn’t grant him any relief as he built up
sweat beneath his slicker. It did make the mud he shoveled onto the dike
much heavier than if he’d been working with dirt. Of course, he wouldn’t
have needed to build the barrier if it wasn’t raining.
He was almost finished when he noticed that the rain was finally letting
up.
“That figures,” he mumbled as he stopped digging.
He returned the spade to the gravesite and left it where he’d found it.
Then he began gathering rocks which were in abundance. After making a
ring of bigger stones around the gravesite, he began hunting for flatter rocks
to cover the surface. He wasn’t trying to make a floor but wanted to have a
somewhat flat surface. That took a while, but when it was done, he began
setting small rocks on top of the flat ones. He used them to form an A and
then an M. He knew that they wouldn’t stay that way for long, but he
thought it was at least one way to honor his cousin.
He stood and looked at the gravesite as he said, “I’ll make you a cross
now, Angus. Then tomorrow, I’ll ride back to Colville and see if I can mend
things with Hannah. I hope I can. I want to be as happy with her as you are
with Eva. If that happens, I promise you one thing. Our firstborn son won’t
be named Angus. I hope you aren’t offended, but he won’t be a Keith
Junior, either. I’ll defer to Hannah’s judgement. I doubt if she’ll want to call
him Hiram.”
He smiled at his cousin’s gravesite before turning back to the trees to
make the cross. The rain was close to stopping by the time he reached his
horses and Smoke.
He found a two-inch-thick branch and used his hatchet to cut and smooth
the ends. Once they were the right length and devoid of smaller branches,
he used his hatchet to split the crossmember.
 With the two pieces of the cross ready, he finally built his fire. When it
was healthy, he took the same knife he’d used to cauterize his wound and
began heating the blade again.
Taking his time, he carefully burned Angus S. MacKenzie into the fresh
pine. It was crude, but he knew it would last longer than the rocks. After it
was finished, he set it aside then pulled a pigging string from his saddlebags
to secure it to the upright piece. It wasn’t perfect, but he planned to have a
proper headstone made in Colville that matched the one he’d had made for
Eva and their baby. Hopefully, Hannah would accompany him when he
brought it out to the waterfall.
He walked back to the gravesite and used the side of the hatchet to
pound the cross into the dirt on the inside of the circle of rocks. When it
was done, he removed his hat and bowed his head. He didn’t know any of
the prayers for the dead, so he said the only one he knew.
“Our Father, Who art in heaven…”
He could barely finish the prayer as his voice threatened to fail him. But
when he ended the Lord’s Prayer, he kept his head down and just
remembered Angus and Eva. He hadn’t been there when Eva had been
buried, so this was for both of them.
After five minutes of silence, he raised his eyes to the sky and began to
see the first stars appear among the parting clouds. It was an inspiring
moment.
He pulled on his hat and turned back to the trees. He was glad that he’d
decided to come to the waterfall before returning to Colville. For a reason
he knew he’d never understand, fixing his cousin’s gravesite was more
redemptive than chasing down the man who’d killed him. He may not have
been the one to deliver justice to Paul Binder, but maybe the creature that
took him was sent by Angus.
When he thought about it, he recalled that the two unguarded and
tethered horses hadn’t been touched by the ferocious beast that had killed
Paul. It was a stretch of his imagination to even think that it might be so,
but whatever the reason, Keith no longer felt guilt or even embarrassed for
not being the one to kill Paul Binder.
_____
Hannah hadn’t even thought about Colby Moore after he’d gone. Her
mind was focused completely on what may have caused Keith to be
delayed. She may have suspected that he was dead, and the sheriff and his
deputy seemed to believe it, but she refused to accept it.
He had to be alive.
He had to be!

She was preparing her supper when she was startled to hear a knock on
the door. She had that same momentary flash of hope that Keith had
returned when she’d first spotted Colby riding toward the cabin. But it
quickly passed, and she was sure that the deputy had returned. She was
hoping that he wouldn’t show up until tomorrow after Keith had come
home, but she still had to at least talk to him.
She walked to the door and swung it open.
“Hello, Hannah. Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Thank you for stopping by.”

“May I come in for a minute?”

“Alright,” she answered without much enthusiasm.
Colby hadn’t noticed as he entered the cabin and took off his hat.
As a hint, Hannah left the door open as she walked past him.
“Do you have any news?” she asked as she stepped to the cookstove.
“Not from Spokane Falls,” he answered as he began unbuttoning his
coat.
Hannah had her back to him as she opened the oven door and asked,
“You have news from somewhere else?”
 “Not exactly,” he said as he hung his coat.
Hannah removed her biscuits and set them on the flat stone on the
counter, then turned and asked, “Then what do you have to tell me?”
It was then that she noticed he had already removed his hat and coat
without asking her permission, which set off alarm bells.

“I just wanted to ask you if you’d feel safer if I stayed with you tonight.
I’m sure that you’re distraught and lonely. You need company, Hannah.”
Hannah held her temper as she replied, “I do need company, Deputy
Moore. I need Keith’s company. He’ll be coming back tomorrow and will
join me in our bed as my husband. Please put on your coat and leave.”
Colby was surprised by her refusal but thought he could help his case
with a gift of sorts. He stepped back to his coat and removed the silver wolf
from his pocket.
The moment Hannah saw the metal carving in his hand she knew it was
her father’s work. How he’d gotten it was the question.
Had he ridden to
Spokane Falls and bought it there?
He stepped closer to her and handed her the figure.
She held it in her hands and looked at him as she asked, “This was made
by my father. Where did you get it?”
“I found it on Angus’ porch. You left it there when Mrs. Sheffield picked
you up. You’re lucky I found it before anyone else noticed it.”
“It was on the porch?” she asked quietly as she stared at the wolf.

Colby could see the impact that seeing it had on her and misread what
had made her suddenly shift into a gentler state. He thought she was going
to thank him with a kiss, but she was just trying to figure out how the wolf
had made it to the porch.
 Even as Colby was preparing to turn the expected kiss into a passionate
night of lovemaking, Hannah realized that the only way it could have made
it to the porch was if Keith had left it there. He must have bought it in
Spokane Falls when he’d first arrived and had probably gone to talk to her
father.
That meant that he’d already returned!
Her heart was racing as she accepted that as fact, then shifted to trying to
understand why he hadn’t stopped by to see her.
Colby was still waiting anxiously as Hannah stared at her father’s
handiwork and had moved even closer until he could smell her. He was
becoming intoxicated with Hannah and was going to kiss her first if she
didn’t thank him soon.
Hannah suddenly realized just how close Colby was and wanted him out
of the cabin so she could think.
She suddenly destroyed Colby’s fantasies when she hurriedly stepped
past him, grabbed his coat from the peg and handed it to him.
“Thank you for checking on me, Deputy, and thank you for bringing me
my wolf. I need to make my supper now.”
Colby was stunned as he accepted his coat but asked, “May I join you
for supper, Hannah?”
“No, thank you. I have things to do. Good night.”
She then yanked his hat from the peg and waited until he donned his
jacket, then shoved it into his hands.
Colby was surprised and confused as he walked out the door but wasn’t
surprised when it slammed behind him. He pulled on his hat then soon
mounted and rode away.
He may have failed in this first attempt, but when Keith failed to arrive
again tomorrow, he’d try again. Hannah wasn’t married and he knew he’d
never find another woman like her. He wasn’t about to give up and was sure
that she’d finally accept the fact that Keith was dead. She’d be lonely and
then she’d be more than happy to accept him.
As he made the short ride back into town, the moon suddenly popped out
from behind the clouds. He wondered why the wolf seemed to have such an
impact on her. He thought that she didn’t even want to see her father again.
Hannah almost forgot about eating, but still managed to finish making
her dinner. She sat at the table eating as she stared at the silver wolf sitting
on the table near her plate.

“Where is Keith and why didn’t he stay after leaving you at the house?”
she asked aloud.
She had a large piece of ham impaled on her fork’s tines just inches from
her open mouth when she suddenly dropped it to the plate and hopped up
from the table.
She didn’t bother grabbing her coat before she yanked open the door and
hurried from the house. As soon as she passed around the corner of the
porch, she spotted the heavily populated corral and her heart exploded.
Keith had been here!
She had no idea why he hadn’t stopped to talk to her
or why he hadn’t at least left her a note, but they were all secondary
questions now. All that mattered was that she knew he was alive.
Hannah was giggling as she entered the dark barn and saw the mass of
saddles, rifles and gear stacked nearby. She slowed and counted five
Winchesters. There wasn’t enough light for her to do a close examination of
what was in the barn but having five repeaters meant that Paul was probably
dead.

She left the barn and turned toward the corral. She soon spotted Beggar
and more importantly, she found Paul’s tall black gelding among the others.
It confirmed Paul’s death but didn’t provide a clue as to why Keith hadn’t
stayed.
She patted Beggar on his neck before quickly turning back to the cabin.
 As she strode, she looked up at the moon, smiled and said, “I know
where he went, and I’m going to find him tomorrow.”
She soon reentered the cabin and closed the door. This time she put the
locking bar in place just in case Colby decided to stop by again.
She returned to her supper and began planning on making a ride to the
waterfall tomorrow. She suspected that the reason Keith hadn’t stayed was
because of how she’d behaved before he’d gone to Spokane Falls. She had
to make amends for that and didn’t want to risk that he might decide to
become a hermit after all.
She wouldn’t bring a packhorse because she knew that he’d only taken a
day to reach the waterfall. She’d pack enough food for three days in two
sets of saddlebags and take the shotgun and one of the Winchesters with
her. She’d never fired one before, but they seemed pretty simple to use.
She’d wear her Colt, too. She wasn’t worried about getting lost, either.
She’d follow the marks left by Angus.
Hannah knew that she was still taking big risks but thought that they
were worth it. If she got into trouble, she’d fire her pistol and knew that
Keith would hear it. Not for a second did she believe that she wouldn’t find
him at the waterfall where Angus was buried and where he’d found her.

She finished her supper and began to pack for tomorrow’s ride.
_____
Keith had cooked his supper and set up his tent. With the sky clearing
and his mind and soul at peace, he now could concentrate on Hannah. He’d
been gone less than a week, which is what he had originally estimated, so
maybe she wasn’t mad any longer. He hoped that the gift of her father’s
wolf would be enough to soothe her anger. He’d been so surprised by her
continued hostility that he still wasn’t sure that she hadn’t rejected him
entirely. All he could do now was to return and hope that she had forgiven
him.
 Smoke was out walking the perimeter, so he only had Friday and the
other horse as company. He looked at the animal and said, “I suppose I
could give you a name. I can’t use a day of the week because I got a whole
bunch of you on the same day. I did like Angus’ reason for naming Beggar,
but you’re a mare, so I’ll have to go a different route. Let me think about it.
How many foals have you dropped, ma’am?”

The mare didn’t even look at him as he thought about naming the horse.
She looked to be about six or seven years old, so she probably had been a
mother to at least one offspring. He wondered if any of the other horses in
his corral were her children.
She wasn’t a spectacular horse like Paul’s black gelding, but she was still
a handsome lady. She was a light brown bordering on tan with four short
black stockings that were just three inches long. She had a black mane and
tail but no marks anywhere else. He wasn’t about to use the almost required
‘Boots’ or ‘Socks’. He wanted something that would prompt questions.
“How about Moon? I shot your rider in the moonlight, so that’s
something. But Moon is too masculine. How about Luna? If you like that
name, raise your hand.”
Keith popped his right hand into the air and as the horse abstained, he
declared a unanimous vote for the name Luna.
He was snickering as he walked to the mare and rubbed her nose. He’d
have to talk to the sheriff when he returned but he’d keep all the horses and
their gear. He had found over five hundred dollars on the four dead men and
wondered if Paul had more cash with him. If he’d had it in his pockets
when he’d been taken away, then no one would ever know. He just didn’t
think that Paul had that kind of money. He doubted if George Binder would
let him accumulate that much and wondered how much Paul had offered
them to kill him.
Before he turned in, he took a bar of soap and a towel, walked to the
swollen pool and stripped. He dove into the cold water and spent twenty
minutes cleaning off his accumulated grime. He wanted to be clean when he
rode into Colville tomorrow to talk to Hannah. He still held out hope that
she’d be so pleased with the silver wolf that she’d be willing to listen.

A clean and somewhat dry Keith Stuart returned to his tent and crawled
inside. The sounds of the night that had spooked Paul Binder were like a
lullaby for him. He was exhausted and soon fell into a deep sleep.
_____

Hannah had her things stacked near the doorway. She’d get up early then
go out to the barn and get the saddlebags. Then she’d saddle Wednesday
and be on the road as early as possible. She expected to find Keith before
sunset.
By the time she slid beneath the quilts, she hoped that this would be the
last night she slept alone, and it wasn’t going to be Colby Moore who
would be joining her.
_____
In Spokane Falls, John Binder lay awake in his father’s bed. He was
convinced that Paul was dead, but they hadn’t found his body, and no one
had seen Keith Stuart either. It was a frustrating situation, but he could
afford to be patient. He hadn’t broken the news to Karen Brown about his
decision to end their engagement yet because he needed to hear the news of
Paul’s death first.
Sheriff Gillis had told him that he’d let him know as soon as he learned
anything, but he planned to visit his father’s lawyer in the morning to ask
about the will. His father had said that he was going to change it but John
wasn’t sure that he had. If he had, then he thought that he could at least start
drawing on his father’s account but wasn’t sure. He’d ask Harper Phillips
tomorrow.
 CHAPTER 10
Keith was the first to awaken that morning as he was used to mornings in
the wilderness. He had his own alarm clock who entered his tent when it
was time to start the day. He thanked Smoke for doing his duty before he
slid out of the tent and began to tear down his campsite.
He had both horses saddled before the sun rose and led them out of the
trees and let the reins drop before stepping closer to Angus’ gravesite.

“I’ll bring you a proper headstone when I return, Angus. Hopefully, it

will be with Hannah Stuart.”

He turned and soon mounted Friday. He headed toward the creek and
then followed the swollen stream away from the cliff and waterfall.
_____

Hannah had selected her two sets of saddlebags from the pile and just
emptied their contents on the barn floor. She was startled when a bundle of
cash dropped from one of them. She picked it up and after staring at it for a
few seconds, just stuffed it into her coat pocket and hung the empty
saddlebags over her shoulders.
When she returned to the cabin, she quickly filled them both with her
selected supplies and grabbed the shotgun before leaving.
She left the saddlebags in the barn and chose one of the Winchesters and
two scabbards. She slipped the shotgun into one and the repeater into the
other before she left the barn to find Wednesday.
Twenty minutes later, Hannah was riding away from the cabin. Her only
concern was that Colby Moore would show up and try to talk her out of
leaving, or even worse, ask to join her. But she didn’t see anyone riding out
of town and set Wednesday to a fast trot as she headed for the triangle cut
into the forest.

_____
Colby was in the office with the sheriff and hadn’t mentioned visiting
Hannah yet. The sheriff seemed distracted by the absence of news from
Spokane Falls, and he didn’t ask.

Bill Sheffield was more than just distracted. He was worried. He should
have received a telegram from Tom Gillis by now whether it was good
news or bad. He decided that he’d send a message later this morning and
ask if there were any developments at all and was even debating about
sending Colby down there.
_____

Sheriff Gillis wouldn’t have been able to give him anything of

consequence even if Sheriff Sheffield had shown up himself. His deputies
hadn’t picked up a single clue about either Paul Binder or Keith Stuart. He
was almost as anxious as his counterpart in Colville to discover what had
become of Paul because he was waiting to proceed against John Binder
when he did. The whole town was a cauldron of bubbling rumors and
whispers about the situation and some were downright outlandish.
He’d decided to hire a guide to lead Jack Nettles and some volunteers
into the forest to track the two missing men. Maybe they’d discover at least
one body.

As Keith rode away from the waterfall and Hannah entered the forest,
Sheriff Gillis left his office to find Gray Wolf Maxwell. He was the best
guide in town and almost as good as Keith Stuart.
_____

Hannah had found the first of Angus’ marks and discovered that they
weren’t as easily identified as she’d expected. The one she’d found looked
almost like a knot, but she was confident she was going in the right
direction.

She rode slowly as she inspected each of the likely trees that Angus had
cut but still found the aging marks.
She’d been riding for more than two hours into the forest when she
began to worry that she might have missed a few and gone in the wrong
direction. So, she pulled up and scanned the terrain hoping to spot a
landmark that she recalled from the last time she’d passed through the trees.
Unfortunately for her, she’d only taken this route once. Keith had led them
back using a different path and now she wondered if she wouldn’t have
been wiser to just take that trail beside the streams.

It was too late now, so she pressed on, heading in what she thought was
the right direction.
_____

Keith had reached the ford where he and Hannah had crossed and
thought about taking that route back to the cabin. But the creek was a lot
angrier now and it was still a longer journey, so he continued riding
alongside the creek. He’d turn left soon after the bluff ended.
Smoke was trotting alongside now rather than his distant covering path
because of the tunneling effect of the bluff and the creek. That would
change soon when Keith passed into the full forest again. Once they left the
creek, Smoke would disappear.

_____
Hannah realized that she was probably lost. She hadn’t found another
mark for over an hour and was riding from tree to tree searching for one.
She’d just about given up when she found the expected gouge and laughed
aloud.

She looked back in the direction she’d found the last one and continued
along that line, relieved that she hadn’t gone astray.
 But what she’d found wasn’t one of Angus’ marks, but just the damage
left by a young buck’s antlers as he marked his territory. He’d started to
mark the tree but had been interrupted by an older buck who disputed his
claim.

Hannah should have been riding northwest, but she was heading
northeast, away from the waterfall. She expected to find more marks soon.
But if she didn’t, she could always turn around and follow her own trail
back to the road.
She hadn’t noticed that she was being followed, but it wasn’t by a pack
of wolves. She had a single follower who was familiar with humans and
wasn’t afraid of them. The large male cougar was a stalker and knew that
while humans were dangerous when they were awake, they were vulnerable
when they were at rest.

The big cat weighed over two hundred pounds and was hungry. It had
taken down a white-tailed doe three days ago, but just as he began to feast
on his catch, a grizzly bound out of the trees and forced him to flee. He had
stayed nearby waiting for the big bear to satisfy himself and leave, but
almost as soon as he had, a pack of wolves arrived to take his place. The
cougar had reluctantly left the kill he’d worked so hard to catch and had
been on the hunt ever since.
When he’d smelled the female woman riding her mare two hours ago,
he’d kept out of sight and waited for his moment. The human would need to
rest soon. As soon as she stopped, he’d begin his stealthy approach. When
she was on the ground, he’d launch his attack.

_____
Keith made the turn past the bluff and lost sight of Smoke. He was in a
good mood and knew that by late afternoon, he’d be out of the forest and
soon he’d reach his cabin. He’d clean up and then ride into town to find
Hannah. He hoped that the silver wolf would at least give him the
opportunity to talk to her.
 When he turned west, Hannah was already more than a mile behind him
and moving away.

He was still scanning the terrain as he always did, so he was startled

when Smoke bounded out of the trees and barked once. He never barked
when there was danger because it would alert the source of the trouble.
He looked down at Smoke and saw his hackles up, which meant danger,
but why had he barked?
Suddenly, Smoke turned and began to run away which was another
anomaly. Then, to add to the odd behavior, he quickly stopped again and
looked back at Keith as if to ask why he hadn’t followed.
Keith turned Friday to follow Smoke wondering what could have caused
his unusual actions. Soon he had to nudge his gelding to a medium trot to
keep up and pulled his Winchester for protection against whatever had
bothered Smoke.

_____
Hannah hadn’t found another mark and decided that she had to turn
around and follow her way out of the forest. It was almost noon and she
was disappointed that she hadn’t found the waterfall but didn’t want to
spend the night alone in the forest.

She wheeled Wednesday around and set her at a walk following her own
path. She was still looking for marks when she saw something flash past.
She didn’t know what it was but thought it might be a wolf or a coyote. She
slipped her Winchester from its scabbard and let her eyes sweep the area
around her to see if there were any other wild animals nearby.
She felt better having the rifle in her hands and knew from the stories
that Keith had told her that wolves hunted in packs but were usually leery
of humans. He’d also told her that coyotes would never attack a human on a
horse, so she thought the only danger would be from a wolf pack. She
recalled how he’d told her that he’d never shot a wolf but would drive them
away with his rifle. Hannah planned to do just that if she saw any wolves.

The cougar had been surprised when the human had turned her horse
around and almost been caught in the open. He had made a wide circle to
begin following again and hoped that the woman would dismount soon. He
was getting hungrier by the minute.
Keith was about a thousand hundred yards away and still following
Smoke. The big dog had slowed and was now walking in the same
direction. His ears were pointed ahead. and he never even looked back at
his human friend. He’d picked up Hannah’s scent almost as soon as they’d
left the bluff and then he’d smelled Wednesday. While Keith was going in
the right direction, he hadn’t bothered to get his attention. But just after his
strong sense of smell had told him of the cougar’s presence, he knew he had
to tell his friend. Now they were getting close and Smoke knew that the
cougar was still near.

Keith hadn’t cocked his Winchester but could fire within a few seconds
after he spotted whatever Smoke was following. What was even stranger
was that the dog was taking him away from his planned route. If there was
danger, it was behind him and Smoke would normally have just let him
continue riding away from it, not toward it.
As strange as it seemed to him, he began to wonder if somehow, Paul
Binder had not only survived being mauled, but had walked all this way
with no supplies or weapons. He simply had no plausible explanation for
Smoke’s behavior.

Hannah hadn’t seen any wolves or even coyotes but knew that
Wednesday needed to rest and get some water. Earlier, she’d seen a small
pond a hundred yards out of her way, so she’d let her mare drink there when
she saw it again. She needed to eat something too because she’d skipped
breakfast in her anxiety to find Keith.
She soon spotted the pond and turned Wednesday to the right. She still
searched the area for any wolves but didn’t see any, so she thought she
could dismount and let Wednesday rest while she filled her stomach.

Keith was about six hundred yards away now but moving at a slow pace
as Smoke kept walking. He hadn’t seen anything that would have inspired
his canine friend’s behavior but expected that whatever it was, he would
find it soon.
Hannah pulled Wednesday to a stop near the pond and did one last three-
hundred-and-sixty-degree scan before stepping down and leading her mare
to the stream. As Wednesday dipped her muzzle into the water, Hannah
opened one of her saddlebags and pulled out some of Keith’s smoked
venison.
She still had her Winchester in her left hand as she ate but continued to
watch for wolves.
She had just finished eating and was reaching for her canteen when
Wednesday jerked her head from the water and snorted before she suddenly
bolted away.

Hannah was startled and started chasing her horse but immediately knew
that she’d never catch the mare. She also realized that whatever had
frightened her had to be behind her, so she whipped around and brought her
Winchester level. But nothing was there.
What had scared Wednesday into
Thursday?
She searched the nearby trees, still didn’t see anything, then turned away
to see if Wednesday had stopped running. That was when the cougar shot
out of the forest. He was still fifty yards away but would be on her in
seconds.
Wednesday was still going away, but had slowed, so Hannah turned her
eyes around and was shocked to see a mountain lion charging right at her.
She hadn’t cocked the Winchester’s hammer, but grabbed it by the barrel
and raised it over her head just before the cougar reached her. She swung it
at the big cat’s head but slammed it into its left shoulder instead. The
cougar’s claws just missed her arm as it tumbled past her and splashed into
the stream.

In that brief respite, Hannah quickly cycled the lever and pointed it at the
recovering cougar just fifteen feet away. She didn’t care if she hit the big
animal but hoped it would be frightened by the gunfire. She yanked the
trigger and the .44 blasted out of the muzzle followed by the cloud of
gunsmoke and the sharp report.
The cougar wasn’t hit but was shaken by the loud sound and shifted to
its right as Hannah struggled to work the lever for a second shot.
Keith was three hundred yards away when the sound of her first shot
echoed through the forest and even though he didn’t know that it was
Hannah pulling the trigger, he didn’t hesitate and neither did Smoke.
Before he even had Friday moving at a gallop, Smoke had raced away at
a sprint. He cocked his Winchester and let Friday take control of their path.
He didn’t know what to expect when he found the shooter, least of all
Hannah.
Hannah was backing away from the circling cougar as they kept their
eyes locked on each other. She knew that if she fired again, she’d have to at
least wound it, or it would spring onto her and she’d die. For the first time
in a week, Keith was no longer on her mind.
The cougar was focused on the woman and was about to make another
sudden attack when he heard the sounds of galloping horses and knew that
he’d lost. He didn’t wait for Smoke to burst into the clearing before he
suddenly bolted away from the human.
Hannah was stunned as she watched the mountain lion leave but then
immediately heard the loud hoofbeats behind her. She kept her eyes on the
disappearing cougar for another few seconds before she turned.
When she saw Smoke first then Keith riding Friday and towing a
packhorse she started to laugh and cry at the same time as she lowered her
Winchester.
To say that Keith was shocked when he saw Hannah would be an
understatement. No English word ever created could describe his level of
astonishment when he realized that he’d found Hannah facing a deadly
predator for the second time.
He rammed his cocked Winchester home, pulled Friday to a lurching
stop and bounded down from the saddle. He raced past Smoke and soon
wrapped Hannah in his arms.

Hannah dropped the rifle before she embraced Keith as she continued to
weep in relief and joy.
Keith was still speechless, but her presence meant that she had forgiven
him and wasn’t sure if it was because of the silver wolf or not. It didn’t
matter.
Before he even asked why she was there, he leaned down and without
wiping the tears from her face, he kissed her.
Hannah moved her arms from his back and placed her hands behind his
neck as she pulled herself closer. She poured her heart and soul into the kiss
and felt the same passion from him.
They finally had to end the kiss when their brains screamed for oxygen.
So, when their lips parted, Keith took a deep breath and asked, “What
are you doing here, Hannah?”

Hannah had just filled her own lungs with air, so she had to exhale
before replying, “I wanted to enjoy nature, so I thought I’d take a pleasant
ride.”
Keith laughed then smiled at her before saying, “It didn’t look very
pleasant to me, ma’am. Why did you come here? Were you looking for
me?”
 “Of course, I was looking for you. I didn’t even know where you were.
Why didn’t you at least leave me a note that you had returned?”
“I did leave a note, but I got in so late that I just slid it under the jail
door. It wasn’t much, but I did tell the sheriff that I’d be back in three days,
so you wouldn’t worry.”
“He never told me. But why didn’t you come to the cabin? I was there
waiting for you.”
“You were in the cabin? I thought you were still in Angus’ house when I
got back. I left the note and the wolf I bought from your father’s shop then
went to the waterfall to finish Angus’ grave.”
“You talked to my father?” she asked softly.
“Yes. I had hoped that he would be happy to learn that you hadn’t been
killed, but he told me that you were dead to him when you married Paul.
I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to feel bad, Keith. It was what I expected. I know that
you killed the four men that Paul hired. Sheriff Sheffield got a telegram
about the gunfight and that you’d been wounded before that. How bad is
it?”

“It still hurts, but it’s alright.”

“Did you suture the wound yourself?”
“No, ma’am. I cauterized it because it was faster and couldn’t rip apart.”
Hannah grimaced at the thought before asking, “What happened after the
gunfight? It’s a big mystery in town and I don’t think they know anything in
Spokane Falls either.”
He still had Hannah wrapped tightly in his arms and wasn’t about to let
her go as he replied, “I followed him into the trees and the next day, I
caught up with him when he was being attacked by a pack of wolves.”
 “Did you shoot him?”

“No. I had to shoot some of the wolves to drive them away, but I never
shot Paul. He wasn’t even scratched by the attack but had dropped his
Winchester and emptied his Colt, so he was effectively disarmed.”
“What did you do after that?”

Keith took another deep breath then blew it out before answering, “I did
nothing, Hannah. Absolutely nothing. I was so ashamed of myself for not
doing what I’d promised you and Angus that I’d do. I could have shot him
or even worse, but I did nothing. I gave him several chances to shoot me
after I gave him back his Winchester, but he left it in its scabbard. I finally
pulled up early to set up camp just to let him leave. I never even lectured
him.”
“Do you think he made it back to Spokane Falls? If he had, I would have
thought that Sheriff Gillis would have sent a telegram letting Sheriff
Sheffield know.”

“He didn’t make it back. That night as I was preparing to get some sleep,
I heard gunshots in the distance and then I heard the most hideous
screaming you could imagine. I knew that he’d run afoul of a large predator
like those you seem to attract, but he wasn’t as lucky as you were. I didn’t
bother going there in the night because it didn’t matter. Besides, I didn’t
want to face another moral dilemma if I got there and he was just mauled
but still alive.”
“You would have helped him; wouldn’t you?”

Keith nodded then continued, saying, “The next morning, I found his
saddled horses still tied to a nearby pine, but his guns were on the ground
with his sleeping bag. His pistol’s grips were covered in his blood, so there
was no point in looking for his body.”
Hannah shuddered. She may have despised the man, but she’d been his
wife and had actually believed she could grow to love him after those first
few nights together. The thought of such a grisly ending may have been true
justice, but it still created a horrific image.

“Then you rode back with all the horses in the night and left them in the
corral before riding to the waterfall.”
“Yes, ma’am.”

“If you thought I was staying in Angus’ house, why didn’t you come
inside? Why did you just leave the wolf on the porch?”
“I was worried that you were still mad at me and thought it was a way to
let you know that I loved you and hoped that you’d forgive me.”

“I shouldn’t have behaved that way, Keith. It was stupid and childish. I
promise that I’ll never do it again.”
“If you do, I won’t worry about it as much. I just was surprised because I
thought I knew you so well before then.”
“You do know me well and I know you. There will never be another man
for me, Mister Stuart.”
Keith smiled and asked, “Not even Colby Moore?”

Hannah’s eyes narrowed before she snapped, “Especially not him. I’ll
explain later.”
“Explain what?”

“Later. I need you to get Wednesday so we can start back.”

“I don’t have to get her. Smoke is bringing her back right now. But
regardless of whatever Colby did, we can’t get married until I can get a
death certificate for Paul and that might be a problem.”

“
You’re not going to sleep with me until we’re married?
” she
exclaimed.
 “I didn’t say that I was going to sleep in the front room on that mattress
anymore, I just said that we couldn’t get married for a while. I intend to act
as your husband the moment we enter our cabin. We may not even make it
to the bedroom.”

Hannah laughed then said, “What if I told you that George Binder had
the marriage annulled before Paul even left Spokane Falls? I’m not even his
ex-wife, much less a legal widow.”
“Then we can get married tomorrow, Miss Smith. But I still intend to
ravish you when we get back to the cabin.”
“Do we have to wait that long?” she whispered.
“As much as I’d like to consummate our marriage right now, I don’t
want to encourage that cougar to interrupt our pleasure. You’re going to
have to wait a few more hours.”

“I suppose. Let’s get moving then.”

He kissed her again before they mounted and headed back following
Hannah’s trail.
_____
“So, he didn’t change his will after all?” John asked.
Harper Phillips shook his head as he replied, “No. He mentioned it to
me, but said he wanted to wait until Paul’s problems were cleared up. I
assume he meant the issues with his wife and Keith Stuart.”
“You heard about that?”
“The whole town knows about it. I’ve heard all sorts of rumors from an
accident to a cold-blooded murder. The gunfight between Stuart and your
father then the other one with the four men that Paul had hired only make
the insidious stories more believable. Do you know what really happened
out there in the wilderness with Paul, Hannah and the guide?”
 “I do, but if I tell you, I assume that you have to keep it confidential. Is
that right?”
“I do. So, which was it; an accident or murder?”
“I guess there’s no real reason to keep it secret because the sheriff has
my statement. Paul pushed Hannah over the cliff because my father found
out she was Jewish and ordered him to get rid of her or lose his inheritance.
After he shoved her over, the guide was on his way down the cliff to check
on Hannah and Paul cut the rope which killed him. That’s why Stuart
showed up at Paul’s house. My father fired several shots and Stuart only
took the one shot that killed him.”
The attorney’s eyebrows rose as he asked, “And you wrote this all down
in a statement to the sheriff?”
John nodded then said, “I didn’t want Paul to get away with it. He
needed to hang for the murder.”
Harper closed his eyes and asked, “When did you learn of the murder
and attempted murder, John?”
“Right after he got back. Why?”
“Did you write that Paul told you that he’d murdered Hannah and the
guide right after he returned?”
“Of course. That’s when he told me. I didn’t want to be caught lying
about it if Paul returned.”
“You know he’s probably dead by now. The sheriff has sent some men
and a guide to find his body.”
“I know. Once they do, then I assume that there won’t be any problem
with the will.”
“Oh, there won’t be a problem with the will, but you may not be able to
spend any of the money for a few years, maybe a decade.”
 John was shocked and had no idea why the lawyer would say such a
thing.

“What do you mean?”

“You just confessed to a felony with that statement you gave the sheriff,
John. You admitted that you knew that Paul had murdered a man and tried
to murder his wife but failed to report the crimes. If you’re convicted, and
with your written statement that’s almost a given, you’re looking at ten to
fifteen years of imprisonment.”
John gawked at the lawyer as he feverishly began to think of some way
of getting the statement and destroying it but figured the sheriff probably
already showed it to the prosecutor.
Harper leaned back in his chair and managed to keep a somber, lawyerly
expression. Inside he was dancing knowing that John would probably never
get to enjoy another day of freedom. Men like him didn’t last long in the
territorial prison. He knew that John probably wouldn’t even think of trying
to bribe a juror. Even if he did, he’d probably handle it so badly that he’d
face charges of jury tampering as well.
John finally stood and walked out of the lawyer’s office in a daze, still
unsure of what he could do. He couldn’t access his father’s large bank
account, but he had a decent amount of his own money, so he began to think
about leaving Spokane Falls.
Less than two hours later, he had almost emptied his personal bank
account, packed and boarded the train to San Francisco.

_____
“She’s gone?” Sheriff Sheffield asked.
“Yes, sir. At first, I figured she might not want to talk to me, but I
opened the cabin door and called out to her. When she didn’t answer I
checked, and she wasn’t there.”
 “Did you check the corral for her horse?”
“Yup. That was a bit odd, too. Her horse was gone, but the mule was still
there. There were four other horses in the corral that I didn’t know Keith
had. I looked in the barn to see if her horse was inside, but all that was there
was a stack of saddles and other stuff. It was a mess.”
Bill Sheffield figured out why the horses were there, but Hannah’s
absence led him to believe that Keith had returned, and they were either in
Angus’ house or he’d brought her to the forest so they could be alone. He
smiled but wasn’t about to bother them. If Keith didn’t show up in the
office early tomorrow morning, he’d check the house and then the cabin.

“Okay, Colby. Don’t worry about Hannah. I think she’s safe.”

“
How can she be safe if she’s all alone?
” he exclaimed.
“She’s safe because she’s not alone. She’s with Keith and I’m not going
to bother them. Where do you think those horses came from? He probably
showed up last night and either took her into the forest where they could be
alone or he’s with her in Angus’ house. Nothing else makes any sense.”
“If he got back, why didn’t he at least tell you what happened?”
“I don’t know. Maybe…”
The sheriff glanced back at the heat stove then said, “Damn! He was the
one who probably left that note.”
“What note?”
“When it was pouring yesterday morning, I must have stepped on the
note he left under the door. It got stuck to the bottom of my boot and by the
time I noticed it, I couldn’t make hide nor tail of it. I burned it and figured
the citizen who left it would come calling when I didn’t do anything.”
Colby wasn’t disappointed that Keith had returned despite losing his
chance with Hannah, but he was still very curious about what had
happened.
 _____

“Now can you tell me about Colby?” Keith asked.

“I will, but you have to promise me that you’ll stay calm.”
“I promise.”
Hannah studied his face before saying, “Nothing really happened, but it
was almost too late before I realized that he was making advances.”

She waited for Keith to explode in anger and when he didn’t, she was
surprised.
“He had taken off his coat while I was looking at the silver wolf and he
was very close. He said that he and the sheriff believed that you were dead
and asked if he could stay the night.”

She paused a second time expecting a volcanic eruption of rage but was
surprised yet again.
“I think that he was expecting me to kiss him because he gave me the
wolf and when I didn’t, I’m sure that he was about to kiss me anyway.”

When Keith still didn’t react, she sharply asked, “

Aren’t you mad at all?
Aren’t you even a little jealous?
”
“Nope. I promised you that I’d stay calm. Besides, you said that nothing
happened, so why should I be angry or jealous?”
“I would have expected you to want to at least punch Colby in the face
just for asking if he could stay the night.”
Keith smiled as he replied, “Colby is a young man and you, Hannah, are
a very handsome young woman. If I was in his shoes and believed that you
no longer had any suitors, I’d probably have done exactly the same thing. I
won’t even mention it unless he does.”
“Would you really have asked to sleep with me after telling me that my
man was dead?”
 “Think of what you just asked then you’ll have your answer.”

Hannah replayed her question in her mind and realized that Keith had
just told her that Paul was dead. She began to laugh when she understood
his response.
When she stopped laughing, she asked, “When will we get back?”

“It’ll be a lot quicker than the time you must have spent getting out here.
We should reach the cabin just after sunset.”
“You’re not going into town until tomorrow; are you?”
“No, ma’am. We are going into town around noon if that soon. I do have
to talk to Bill Sheffield. I don’t know what happened to the note I left for
him, but it was pretty short anyway. We can get married tomorrow
afternoon. Do you need a formal proposal?”
“Not if it means we’ll have to dismount so you can get on your knee.”
Keith laughed then moved Friday even closer to Wednesday, totally
ignoring Thursday.
He reached across, took Hannah’s hand and asked, “Miss Hannah Smith,
you have won my heart, soul and mind. Would you please accept my offer
of marriage so I can spend the rest of my life proving just how much I love
you?”
Hannah had only been joking and was overcome with emotion as she
looked into his hazel eyes.
All she could do was to smile and whisper, “Yes.”
Keith leaned across the gap between the horses as Hannah did the same.
They sealed the proposal with a jarring kiss before separating out of
necessity.
“Can we go any faster?” she asked when she recovered.
 “We could, but one of us would probably be knocked out of the saddle
by a low branch before long. And you, soon-to-be Mrs. Stuart, did not fare
well the last time you slammed into a branch.”
“It wasn’t just one, either. I must have hit a dozen on the way down.”
“You were lucky that you were hitting the outside of those branches. If
you’d been closer to the trunk, you probably would have suffered a lot more
damage.”
Hannah shuddered at the thought because she knew he was right. She
rubbed her healed ribcage and knew that if she had fallen just another three
feet closer to the pine trunk, they would have surely been broken. Paul
didn’t realize that he had actually saved her life with such a violent push. If
he’d just nudged her over the edge, she would have met the same fate as
Angus.
“I guess it was my destiny to follow that saving arc into the trees. And it
was your destiny to find me.”
“I’m not a big believer in fate or destiny. Things just happen and we look
back and wonder why they did. I know why I was there, and you know why
you fell where you did. I’m just glad that I found you. I was content with
my life and never thought that I’d marry. It was only when I lost Angus and
Eva that I realized how lonely I would be and how much I needed someone.
I consider myself the most fortunate of men to have found you, Hannah.”
“I still think it’s fate that brought us together.”
“Feel free to believe whatever you wish, ma’am, as long as you don’t
keep attracting more nasty angry critters with sharp claws and big teeth.”
Hannah laughed before saying, “I’m not making any promises.”

Keith smiled and while not believing in fate, did wonder if Angus and
Eva had something to do with it. Angus had been climbing down that cliff
to save Hannah when he’d lost his life. Now his cousin was with Eva and
he was with Hannah. He didn’t doubt that he’d be as happy with Hannah as
Angus was with Eva.
_____
Bill Sheffield left the jail and after locking the door, glanced east and
thought about riding out to Keith’s cabin to check on the horses himself, but
decided he’d wait until tomorrow.
He’d changed his mind about Keith taking Hannah to Angus’ house
simply because he hadn’t found Hannah or Keith’s horses in town. If it had
been anyone else, Bill would have been worried. But he was sure that
Hannah was safe with Keith and probably spending some interesting time
inside a warm tent in the forest.
_____

The sun had set when they exited the trees at the triangle cut and soon
turned north toward the cabin.
Hannah felt that the return ride more than compensated for her earlier
solo ride into the wilderness. She and Keith had chatted and laughed as if
he’d never gone to Spokane Falls.

When they reached the cabin, Keith said, “I’ll take care of the horses and
I’ll join you shortly.”
“I’ll be waiting to be ravished, but I’ll feed you first. I want to see your
wound, too.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied as Hannah stepped down from Wednesday and

hurried into the cabin.
Keith walked the horses to the barn and started unsaddling Friday. He
soon had both Friday and Wednesday cleared of tack before he began to
remove Luna’s packs. He added everything to the stack and knew that he’d
have to put everything away properly when he had time. But he had other
priorities now.
 He led the three horses into the corral and after replacing the cross rail,
he turned and headed back to the cabin. He noticed that Smoke was already
in his house and was ripping apart a large chunk of smoked meat. He’d told
Hannah about Smoke’s behavior, so she must have been rewarding him for
finding her when she desperately needed help.
He passed Smoke who didn’t even acknowledge his existence, then
stepped onto the porch and entered his cabin.
He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed when he found Hannah still
dressed as she poured cider into two glasses and set them on the table.
He hung his coat and hat on their pegs then stepped to the table and took
a seat. He was sure that if he’d taken her in his arms and kissed her that
supper would be forgotten and may turn into a cold breakfast.
After she sat down next to him, she said, “In all of the excitement, I
forgot to mention something. When I was packing to leave this morning, I
emptied two saddlebags. This fell out of one of them.”
She reached into her britches’ right pocket and pulled out a large wad of
bills then did the same with her left.
“I didn’t take time to count it, but it looks like it’s over two thousand
dollars. Why would it be there?”
Keith didn’t answer but stood and walked to his coat and pulled the five
hundred dollars from his pocket then returned. He dropped it onto the other
piles of currency and sat down again.
“I found that in the pockets of the four men that Paul had hired. I’m sure
it was what he paid them to kill me but thought it was for this one. It must
have been for the first time when all they did was talk to me. Paul must
have taken that out of the bank to pay them when they killed me. I’m
surprised he paid them so much. I imagine men like that would kill
someone for fifty bucks. I guess your annulled husband overpaid.”

“Do we keep it?” she asked as she stared at the money.

 “Of course, we’ll keep it. I’m not about to ride down to Spokane Falls
and hand it to John Binder. Until you told me about it, I thought their father
was still alive. I didn’t even think I’d hit him with my one shot. I figured
he’d dropped to a prone position and wasn’t about to let him put another
slug into me or Friday.”
Hannah was too excited to remember what the sheriff had told her about
John and didn’t want to waste any more time.
She simply said, “Let’s eat and then you can show me your wound.”
“I’ll be happy to do that, but don’t be disgusted. It still hurts but even
after it heals, it’ll be seriously ugly.”
Hannah had begun to eat and had to swallow before replying, “I don’t
care what it looks like, Mister Stuart. As long as it doesn’t impede your
ability to make love to me.”
“It wouldn’t affect me even if it had been made by a cannonball.”
Hannah laughed before they both began making short work of their
meal.

The empty plates and the cash were still on the table when Keith stood
and before he could take hold of Hannah’s hand, she rose and grabbed his
arm.
They did make it to the bedroom, but just barely.

_____
Sheriff Sheffield had knocked loudly on the door of Angus’ house but
wasn’t surprised when no one opened the door. He mounted his horse and
headed east out of town to check on the new horses in Keith’s corral but
wasn’t anticipating finding Keith and Hannah at the cabin.

He could see the animals in the corral before he reached the cabin and
noticed that there were more than the five horses and the lone mule that
Colby had reported. He forgot about examining the horses or looking in the
barn and headed directly for the cabin.

After tying off his horse, he stepped onto the porch and knocked more
politely than he had when he’d pounded on Angus’ front door earlier.
It was just a few seconds later when the door opened, and the sheriff
grinned at Keith.
“You’ve created a real mess, Mister Stuart.”
“I’m sure that I have. Come inside and I’ll tell you what happened.”
The sheriff nodded then pulled off his hat before he stepped over the
threshold. He noticed Hannah at the cookstove but didn’t say anything
before he took a seat.
Keith closed the door and followed him to the kitchen table.

Hannah had already filled three cups with hot coffee and set two on the
table before joining them.
“So, start talking,” Sheriff Sheffield said as he picked up his cup of
coffee.

“Okay. Hannah told me that you and Sheriff Gillis have been sending
telegrams back and forth, so you know about what happened at the Binder
place and how Paul Binder chased after me with the same four men he’d
sent to my cabin.”
“I know the basics, but not the details. Start from when you reached
Paul’s house.”
Keith nodded and began his long story. Even though he’d already told all
of it to Hannah knew on the return ride, she was still listening intently.
Keith managed to sip his coffee as he progressed from the initial
confrontation to the moonlit shootout.
 He admitted to his embarrassment and frustration when he’d had to
shoot the wolves and let Paul go.

When he did, Tom Sheffield interrupted his statement when he said, “I’m
sure Hannah is proud of you for that, despite what you believed. I’m proud
of you too, Keith. You had every right to shoot the bastard. But as far as I
know, he never made it back to Spokane Falls. What happened?”
“I was camped and ready to sleep when I heard distant gunfire. Then I
heard hideous screaming and knew that he’d been set upon by a wild critter.
I didn’t bother going there at night, but the next morning I followed his trail
to this campsite. I found his horses, which hadn’t been bothered, his unfired
Winchester and his empty Colt. The pistol’s grips were covered in his
blood. I have everything out in the barn.”
“Was it those same wolves that that had attacked him earlier that got
him?”
“No, sir. Those wolves were long gone. He was taken by an enormous
grizzly. Those six bullets he fired wouldn’t have even scared a bear that
big.”
“Why didn’t you return right away? I assume that you left me that note. I
never got a chance to read it because I stepped on it with my muddy boots
when I entered the jail and by the time that I found it, it was just a piece of
ugly scrap paper.”
“I should have expected that might happen. I knew the rains were
coming. I went out to the waterfall to finish Angus’ grave. I’m going to
order a memorial stone and take it out there when it’s ready. Do you need
me to write an official statement?”
“Not yet. I’ll wire Sheriff Gillis so he can start proceedings against John
Binder.”
“John?”
 “He included a line in one of his telegrams that told me that he was
going to charge John with accessory to murder after the fact. It seems that
Paul’s baby brother wrote a full statement about what had happened, and in
his need to ensure Paul’s conviction, wrote that Paul had told him that he’d
murdered Angus and Hannah before he went to your place. It’s tantamount
to a confession. He was just waiting for resolution on Paul’s whereabouts.”
“That’s interesting. It’ll make a mess down there; won’t it?”
“That’s Tom Gillis’ problem. I’ll head back and get that telegram sent.”
“Bill, Hannah and I will be coming into town shortly to get married. I’d
be honored if you and Fannie could be our witnesses.”
Sheriff Sheffield smiled at Hannah then replied, “We’ll be the ones who
will be honored, Keith. I’ll tell Fannie after sending the telegram. Just stop
by the jail and let me know then I’ll go get her.”
“Thanks, Bill.”
The sheriff stood, then shook Hannah’s hand and then Keith’s before
leaving the cabin.
The couple followed him to the door and waved as he mounted and
turned his horse back toward Colville.
“I guess we’re going to have to change before we go into town,” Hannah
said.
“I’ll help you,” Keith replied before he pulled her back into the cabin
and closed the door.
_____
Sheriff Gillis set the telegram onto the desk, looked at Deputy Thurber
and said, “Let’s go visit John Binder. I can’t wait to see the look on his face
when we tell him he’s under arrest.”
 “You don’t want to wait for Jack and the others to return with Paul’s
body?”
“According to Bill Sheffield, they’ll never find it anyway. They’ll be
back in a day or so and I don’t want John to get wind of this.”
“Okay, boss.”
_____
When they arrived at the big Binder house forty minutes later, the
housekeeper told them that John had packed his bags and said he was going
to visit their cousin in Portland.

After they returned to town, it took just a short visit to the bank to
discover that John had run. Sheriff Gillis issued an arrest warrant for him
and wired it to Portland but suspected that he’d never be found.
_____
Keith drove the buckboard into Colville so Hannah could wear a dress.
They stopped at the bank and deposited the mammoth sum of $2,435 before
walking to the jail.
When they entered, there was an awkward moment when Colby saw
Keith, but Keith was expecting him to be nervous, so he just smiled and
shook Colby’s hand.

Colby wasn’t sure if Hannah had told him or ever would but was
relieved and gratefully accepted the handshake as the sheriff made a hasty
exit to retrieve his wife.
“Did you want to come along?” Keith asked.
“To your wedding?”
“Sure. I don’t think the bank is going to be robbed for the next twenty
minutes.”
 Colby snickered then pulled his hat from the wall and donned his coat.
He then followed Keith and Hannah out the door and turned left to the
county courthouse.

They waited in the lobby for Bill and Fannie Sheffield, and when they
arrived, the two couples plus one headed for the office of the justice of the
peace.
The short ceremony took less time than it had to complete the
paperwork. The brief legal formalities to satisfy Washington Territory’s
bureaucrats was almost unnecessary to Hannah and Keith. They had been
joined together since he’d first found her facing the bear at the waterfall and
having an appointed official of the government didn’t really make much
difference.
When they were sharing lunch at Luella’s Café, the sheriff was given a
telegram that had been sent by Tom Gillis. In the message, he thanked Bill
for letting him know about Paul’s demise and told him that John had
disappeared.
“I reckon that he found out about his imminent arrest and the possibility
of spending a decade in territorial prison didn’t appeal to him,” the sheriff
said as he handed it to Colby.

Colby quickly read it and gave it to Keith before it wound up in

Hannah’s hand.
It was the final chapter in the Binder situation, so when Keith drove the
buckboard back to their cabin, he knew that he would be able to leave
Hannah alone without worry. He’d still show her how to shoot a Winchester
now that she was healthy again and wouldn’t leave when she was close to
childbirth but didn’t see any reason to stop guiding hunting parties.

_____
Nine hours later after they had officially consummated their marriage,
Keith held Hannah close and didn’t mind how slippery she was.
 He smiled down at her and said, “You know, if your marriage to Paul
hadn’t been annulled, you could probably have inherited everything that his
father owned.”
“I don’t care. I’d much rather have you even if we hadn’t found all that
money.”
“So, you don’t mind if I still take hunting parties out?”

“No. But I’m coming with you until I’m too swollen with our first baby.
Despite all of the horrors that I encountered out there, I found it
exhilarating. I want to learn as much as I can before I’m housebound. Will
you do that for me?”
“Of course, I will. I want you to be able to protect yourself if you
encounter another bear like the last one.”

“I can’t imagine how big the grizzly was that took Paul away.”
Keith paused before saying, “I suppose I should tell you because I don’t
want there to be any secrets between us. He wasn’t attacked by a grizzly.”

She bolted into a sitting position and exclaimed, “

So, you did kill him?
”
Keith just admired the view until she laid back down across his chest.

“No. I didn’t kill him. Everything was exactly as I told the sheriff and
what I’ll write in my statement if he needs one. I told him that Paul had
been killed by a grizzly because I didn’t want him or anyone else to believe
that I was a loony.”
“Why would they think such a thing?”

“Because when I found his campsite, I didn’t see where the animal had
dragged him off, which surprised me. But when I found the tracks of the
beast, I knew that Paul really did get to see a sasquatch this time.”
 EPILOGUE
Two weeks later, Keith and Hannah rode to the waterfall and placed
Angus’ headstone. Keith thought about building a small cabin at the site but
decided to leave it for his cousin. It was so remote that he was certain that
no one else would find it.
Over the next few months, Keith and Hannah led four hunting parties
into the deep forests. Her wilderness skills improved quickly and so did her
marksmanship.
By late spring of 1889, she had to stay at the cabin as she was expecting
in June. They had added two bedrooms earlier that year in expectation of
more arrivals.

The question of what to do with Angus’ house was solved in February

when Colby announced his engagement. Keith and Hannah gave him the
house as a wedding gift. They had never spoken of the night when Colby
had suggested he stay with Hannah.
John Binder was never found and his father’s estate was sold by the
county.

On the first day of summer, Hannah went into labor. Keith had stayed
with her for the last two weeks and Mrs. Wharton and her daughter were
there.
Despite losing Eva to childbirth, Keith wasn’t worried about Hannah.
She was a strong woman and had no problems at all during her pregnancy.
She didn’t even suffer morning sickness.

Hannah hadn’t pronounced whether she was carrying a boy or a girl, and
Keith wasn’t about to ask. It wasn’t superstition on his part, but he still
wasn’t about to make a guess. They didn’t even discuss baby names, but
each did recall their discussion as they left the waterfall after they’d first
met.

It was almost midnight when Keith heard a baby’s wail from the
bedroom and popped to his feet. He was suddenly concerned about Hannah
and if the baby was well-formed. He didn’t understand why it had shot into
his mind without warning, but he knew it wouldn’t leave until he saw
Hannah’s smiling face and he gazed at their baby’s perfection.
He paced for another twenty minutes and drank four more cups of coffee
that had eventually devolved to mud.

When the bedroom door finally swung open, he looked at Mrs.

Wharton’s face for a clue and almost collapsed in relief when she smiled at
him.
“Come in, Keith. Hannah and the baby are both doing well.”
He nodded and took long strides into the bedroom and found Hannah’s
sweaty, tired face beaming at him. She held their newborn in the crook of
her arm as he slowly stepped beside the bed.
“We have a daughter, Keith. I hope you’re not disappointed.”

He kissed her brow then smiled down at her and replied, “I couldn’t be
happier, Hannah. She’s beautiful, just like her mother.”
“She is perfect; isn’t she?” Hannah asked before she kissed their
daughter’s forehead.

“She is and so are you. Will we give her the name that we first created
right after I found you?”
“Is that alright? We can use your mother’s name first if you’d like.”

“No. I like Rachel Miriam better. I think it suits her.”

“Do you want to hold her? I’ve already fed her, so be careful.”

“Can I? I don’t want to break her.”

 Hannah laughed lightly then Mrs. Wharton stepped between them and
lifted little Rachel Miriam from Hannah and set her into Keith’s waiting
arms.

He touched his fingertips to the baby’s cheek and felt a warmth roll
through him that he hadn’t expected. He looked at Hannah and found her
smiling at him.
A year ago, he had been content living alone with Smoke and couldn’t
have conceived that this was even remotely possible. Now he had a
wonderful wife who filled his life with joy, and she had given him a perfect
child who would fill both of their hearts.

He wished that Angus and Eva could have still been with him so each of
them could hold her as well. But even though they weren’t here physically,
he knew that they were smiling down at him and Hannah and would always
be with them in their hearts.
 1. Rock Creek
12/26/2016
2. North of Denton
01/02/2017
3. Fort Selden
01/07/2017
4. Scotts Bluff
01/14/2017
5. South of Denver
01/22/2017
6. Miles City
01/28/2017
7. Hopewell
02/04/2017
8. Nueva Luz
02/12/2017
9. The Witch of Dakota
02/19/2017
10.                     
Baker City
03/13/2017
11.                     
The Gun Smith
03/21/2017
12.                     
Gus
03/24/2017
13.                     
Wilmore
04/06/2017
14.                     
Mister Thor
04/20/2017
15.                     
Nora
04/26/2017
16.                     
Max
05/09/2017
17.                     
Hunting Pearl
05/14/2017
18.                     
Bessie
05/25/2017
19.                     
The Last Four
05/29/2017
20.                     
Zack
06/12/2017
21.                     
Finding Bucky
06/21/2017
22.                     
The Debt
06/30/2017
23.                     
The Scalawags
07/11/2017
24.                     
The Stampede
07/20/2017
25.                     
The Wake of the Bertrand
07/31/2017
26.                     
Cole
08/09/2017
27.                     
Luke
09/05/2017
28.                     
The Eclipse
09/21/2017
29.                     
A.J. Smith
10/03/2017
30.                     
Slow John
11/05/2017
31.                     
The Second Star
11/15/2017
32.                     
Tate
12/03/2017
33.                     
Virgil’s Herd
12/14/2017
34.                     
Marsh’s Valley
01/01/2018
35.                     
Alex Paine
01/18/2018
36.                     
Ben Gray
02/05/2018
37.                     
War Adams
03/05/2018
38.                     
Mac’s Cabin
03/21/2018
39.                     
Will Scott
04/13/2018
40.                     
Sheriff Joe
04/22/2018
41.                     
Chance
05/17/2018
42.                     
Doc Holt
06/17/2018
43.                     
Ted Shepard
07/13/2018
44.                     
Haven
07/30/2018
45.                     
Sam’s County
08/15/2018
46.                     
Matt Dunne
09/10/2018
47.                     
Conn Jackson
10/05/2018
48.                     
Gabe Owens
10/27/2018
49.                     
Abandoned
11/19/2018
50.                     
Retribution
12/21/2018
51.                     
Inevitable
02/04/2019
52.                     
Scandal in Topeka
03/18/2019
53.                     
Return to Hardeman County
04/10/2019
54.                     
Deception
06/02/2019
55.                     
The Silver Widows
06/27/2019
56.                     
Hitch
08/21/2019
57.                     
Dylan’s Journey
09/10/2019
58.                     
Bryn’s War
11/06/2019
59.                     
Huw’s Legacy
11/30/2019
60.                     
Lynn’s Search
12/22/2019
61.                     
Bethan’s Choice
02/10/2020
62.                     
Rhody Jones
03/11/2020
63.                     
Alwen’s Dream
06/16/2020
64.                     
The Nothing Man
06/30/2020
65.                     
Cy Page: Western Union Man
07/19/2020
66.                     
Tabby Hayes
08/02/2020
67.                     
Letter for Gene
09/08/2020
68.                     
Dylan’s Memories
09/20/2020
69.                     
Grip Taylor
10/07/2020
70.                     
Garrett’s Duty
11/09/2020
71.                     
East of the Cascades
12/02/2020
72.                     
The Iron Wolfe
12/23/2020
 73.                     
Wade Rivers
01/09/2021
74.                     
Ghost Train
01/26/2021