Maisie stopped dead, she set down the bucket and lantern.

  Her husband was next. He also carried a bucket in his right hand, but in his left hand he had a pick axe. He dropped the bucket and went for his gun.

  John shook his head. “You can pull that gun and maybe get a shot off, but not before I kill your wife. Is that what you want?”

  With his hand hovering over his holster, Frank shook his head. “No. What do you want?”

  “I just want you two. I don’t care about this mine, whether it’s got gold or not. I can see by that pile of dirt that you’re finding fool’s gold. That shows me right there that this mine won’t pay. I’ve done gold mining and I won’t work that hard for that little again. Now, Frank, I want you both to clean up this camp, pack up your mule and get ready to ride. I don’t want anyone else to find this place. I don’t want my cohorts to see that you were here and try to take you from me. Now, get moving.”

  Maisie glared at him, lifted her chin and went into the tent. She came out a few minutes later with two bedrolls. She placed them on the ground near the fire.

  Frank saddled their mounts and then tied the bedrolls over the saddle bags, behind the saddle.

  She emptied the Dutch oven into the fire, rinsed it out and dumped the dirty water into the fire, too, followed by the rest of the water in the bucket. Then she stirred the fire with a good-sized stick to make sure it was out.

  By the time she was done with the fire, Frank had loaded the mule with the mining equipment, tent, pots and anything else they didn’t want on the horses.

  When they were done, it barely looked like anyone had been there in years.

  John looked around. He knew they’d done a good job. He might think they were stalling for time or perhaps, they didn’t want anyone to think this mine might have more gold to give. And he would have been right. They were stalling for time. Time to think of a way out of this mess.

  John kept his gun aimed at Maisie. It was the best way to keep control of Frank. “Mount up. Let’s go. I’ll be right behind you, Maisie, so Frank doesn’t get any ideas. Frank, you lead the way back to Prescott.” John mounted after Maisie and Frank.

  “You’re taking us to your boss?” asked Maisie. “I don’t want to say ‘hey you’ all the time, so what’s you name.”

  “Yeah, for some reason he wants you alive. Speaking of alive, is Slade still kicking? And my name is John Riley, no reason for you not to know.”

  “Well, John, by now Slade’s sitting in the sheriff’s jail in Flagstaff. He told us that Albert Haynes was his boss.” Frank turned in his saddle and looked at Maisie.

  John wondered what passed between them…some unspoken plan to relieve him of his gun? Maybe. “I see no reason not to confirm that. He’s probably getting rid of you both anyway. Get moving.”

  Frank slowed his horse so he was beside Maisie. “He’ll never outlive my brothers and they will find out. He’s not that good. I bet the sheriff is on to him, too. Slade said that’s why he ran. The sheriff was suspecting things.”

  John thought about that for a moment. Should he leave as well? Maybe after this next payment. He had a girl back home that he really wanted to be his wife. Maybe when her pa saw how he’d improved the ranch, he’d allow him to marry his daughter, Julia. He called her Jules. She seemed to like the name.

  He liked his ranch. Yeah, this time, he’d go home.

  John shrugged. “Whatever is between your brothers and Haynes doesn’t concern me. All I want is my money for bringing you to him. Then I’m gone. I’m going home. Nothing more to keep me here.”

  Frank huffed out a breath. “You really think Haynes will let you leave, John? With everything you know? I rather doubt it. He’s probably already got plans in place for those men who want to leave. The man closest to him will do the deed, and then, when it’s down to just him, Haynes will personally eliminate him.”

  John shrugged. He’d already considered this turn of events and thought it might even be Haynes’ plan to get rid of whoever brought in the Campbells. Should he risk it? Should he run now?

  No. I can’t. I need this last payout. I need him to give me another assignment, and then I’ll run as fast as I can to my ranch. I won’t stop, and once I get there, the vaqueros will have my back, just like they have Mama’s.

  “I don’t believe you. But it doesn’t matter, anyway. Albert needs us. He’s got a lot more work for us to do.”

  “So he has you believing,” shouted Maisie over the noise of the horses’ hooves hitting the rocky trail.

  “Shut up and keep riding. We have a long way to go.”

  By the time they stopped for the night, Maisie looked exhausted. She was slumped forward in the saddle, barely able to keep from falling off. She’d been in the saddle for a good twelve hours and Frank knew her legs and back had to be hurting. But the exhaustion he saw was the most troubling.

  Maisie managed to get her foot out of the stirrup but couldn’t lift her leg over the saddle. “Frank. I need help. My legs aren’t working.”

  John twitched his pistol. “Careful, Frank. I can still kill her.”

  Frank noticed his hand barely moved. “I’m not about to do anything that will put my wife in harm’s way, but I sure will help her down from that horse.” He walked over to Maisie and raised his arms.

  She leaned down.

  He lifted her by the waist to the ground.

  Her legs gave way.

  Frank pulled her close with his arms around her waist. “Hold on to me.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck.

  He lifted her, then carried her over to a large fallen log and set her on it. “You rest here. I’ll get us situated.” Frank tied their horses and the mule to a tree branch.

  “What were you two talking about?” asked John, still holding his pistol on Maisie.

  “Nothing.” Frank walked back with a blanket and whispered. “His hand has got to be atrophied by now holding that pistol all this time. Bear with me. I might get us out of this.”

  She stretched up and kissed his cheek. “I have faith in you.”

  John got off his horse, still holding his gun. “That’s enough. Finish setting up camp. She’ll be fine.”

  Frank took his time following that order. The more he moved the looser his body became. Of course, he was used to being in the saddle for ten or twelve hours a day when he was pushing cattle. He doubted John Riley was used to it any more than he was holding a gun on them all that time.

  While carrying the tent, Frank passed in front of Riley. He pretended to trip and threw the tent at the younger man.

  Riley dropped his gun and fell to the ground, underneath the tent.

  Frank picked up Riley’s gun and held it on him. “Maisie, are you recuperated enough to retrieve our weapons from his saddlebags?”

  She hurried over next to Frank. “I guess my legs weren’t as tired as I thought.”

  Frank laughed. “You little minx. You were just funning me.”

  She lifted her chin a notch. “I was funning him, not you, and it had to look real.”

  Wrapping his arms around her waist, Frank lifted her to his eye level. “You’re wonderful, but I’m glad you didn’t have to attack him to prove our point.”

  Riley continued to fight with the tent, but his energy was waning.

  Maisie looked at Riley under the weight of the tent and smiled. “Me, too. What should we do with him now?”

  The young man had given up getting the tent off of him. It was heavy.

  “Let’s get him out from under there, then we can tie him up, and we won’t have to worry about him. We’ll cover him with his blanket for the night. He’ll be fine.”

  Maisie helped Frank lift the tent and then she tore a strip from her petticoat.

  Frank tied Riley’s hands with the cloth.

  She gave him a second one for the young man’s feet.

  Frank made quick work of tying the man’s ankles. Knots had always been one of Frank’s hobbies. He could tie just about any kind of knot known to man and he used a good one on John’s ankles. Even if he got his hands loose, which was unlikely, but if he did, he still wouldn’t be able to untie his ankles unless he’d been a sailor in his earlier life, but Frank doubted he had.

  Maisie went to the mule and got the Dutch oven and their food, canned beans and hardtack. They’d stopped by a small creek and she filled the coffee pot, using a small pan because the stream was so shallow.

  Frank put up the tent. He had the opening facing the fire hoping a little of its warmth would get into the tent.

  Maisie gathered wood and kindling. After she made the fire ring, she built the fire. She placed the coffee pot more directly into the fire and the Dutch oven on the outer reaches of the fire.

  When dinner was ready, Maisie fixed three plates. She walked over to Riley. “Frank, please cover me while I untie his hands so he can eat.”

  “Gladly.” Frank held his gun pointed at the young man.

  Maisie untied him and handed him a plate with beans and hard tack and a fork.

  “Why are you being kind to me? I was taking you to what was probably your deaths.”

  She shrugged. “Everyone deserves a second chance. And you need to eat.”

  “I wouldn’t have treated you so well.”

  “I know, but that’s all right.” She turned and walked back over to Frank.

  He looked at Riley. “I’m going to eat, and you’re eating, too. Then I’ll give you some coffee. And after that, I’m tying your hands again. I don’t intend to watch you all night.”

  Riley nodded. “I understand and I don’t blame you. I hope you won’t blame me if I try to escape.”

  Frank smiled at the young man. “Knock yourself out. But if you wake me, I’m shooting first and asking questions later…and I don’t miss.”

  Riley paled. “I’ll remember.”

  “And, just so you know, all the weapons will be in the tent with us. Oh, I know how to shoot, too. I doubt I’m as good as Frank, but I suppose I don’t have to be to hit you somewhere.” Maisie smiled, turned and winked at Frank.

  His wife always made him smile, but he lowered his head and shook it.

  After coffee and seeing to personal business, Frank tied Riley up again.

  “Don’t forget, it gets cold at night. If you knock your blanket off trying to escape, you’ll be very cold for the rest of the night because you will not get out of my knots. But you’re more than welcome to try.” He had Riley lean up against a log. “Are you comfortable? Or at least as comfortable as possible under the circumstances?”

  “Yes.”

  Frank covered him with a blanket. “Try and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day.”

  John’s eyes widened and his brows lifted. “Are you taking me to the sheriff?”

  Frank pursed his lips. “I haven’t decided yet. I might just make you cool your heels at the ranch. Put you to work, maybe. I’ll have a talk with the sheriff and see if you’re wanted for anything other than our kidnapping.”

  John lifted his bound hands. “It looks to me like I’m the one being kidnapped.”

  Maisie laughed. “We’re taking you in to the law…probably. That’s not kidnapping. It might be bounty hunting though. I guess it depends on if you have a wanted poster out on you. Do you?”

  Riley was quiet for a bit. “I doubt it. I’ve never killed anyone. The worst I’ve ever done was kidnap you. I don’t think I’m a very good criminal. I tried rustling in New Mexico Territory. I only did it once and the rancher caught me because I was stupid about it. I tried to drive them by myself and all I did was go in circles. The rancher watched for a while before coming and talking to me. I told him I was sorry and he actually gave me a job. I should have stayed there.”

  “Why didn’t you?” asked Maisie gently.

  “Because I fell in love with his daughter, and I knew she’d never marry a ranch hand. So I left to make money so I could marry her. And I have. Some of it legitimate bounty hunting and some working for Albert. But I bought a rundown ranch, and my mother and I have brought it back to a working ranch.”

  “Did you make enough yet to go back to the girl?” asked Frank.

  Riley shrugged. “Maybe, but I didn’t go home. I should have, but I got greedy. One last job, I told myself. Just one last job.”

  “What would you do if we were to let you go?” Maisie squatted so she was the same level as Riley.

  "Maisie. May I speak to you, please?” Frank used his sternest voice.

  “Sure.” She stood and walked over to him. When she got there she asked, “What do you want?”

  Frank whispered. “We can’t just let him go. What if he’s lying and is just playing on your kindness?”

  “It’s possible he is, but I really don’t think so. I think he wanted to marry that girl and things got out of hand. It took me a long time to learn to trust you, but you taught me that all men aren’t bad and I’ve learned to see the good in people. If he hasn’t hurt anyone, I think we should—”

  “We don’t know that he hasn’t hurt anyone.” He glanced skyward. Please don’t let him have hurt anyone. I really don’t want her to be wrong. “He could be a very good liar for all we know. I don’t want to do anything until we talk to the sheriff. He’s a good man and he’ll know exactly what we should do with this one.”

  She sighed but nodded. “You’re right. I am just feeling sympathetic because he said he loves the girl.”

  Frank looked over at where Riley sat with the blanket over him. “Don’t trust him just because he’s young and handsome.”

  She shrugged. “Okay. We’ll do it your way.”

  “Thank you. Why don’t you get on to bed and I’ll make sure the fire’s out?”

  “Okay.” She looked over at Riley. “Goodnight, John.”

  He nodded. “Goodnight, Maisie.”

  Frank didn’t like the idea of Maisie getting all sweet on this young man. He’d have taken them and given them over to Albert Haynes without a second’s thought and here she was about to let him go free.

  He released a breath, sighed and shook his head. What am I going to do with you, Maisie? Am I just feeling this way because I’m jealous? Am I jealous because I love her?

  Chapter Ten

  The next morning, Riley was exactly where they left him, only he was asleep.

  Maisie looked up from the fire she’d built and over at Riley. He was such a young man and surely there must be a way for him to get a chance to start over.

  “Frank, have you thought any more about what to do with Riley?”

  “A little. Why?” He walked over to where she stood by the fire and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  She wound hers around his neck. “I was just thinking that maybe he could come to work at the ranch. I wonder if he’d want to do that?”

  “You’re too soft-hearted.”

  She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “I spent two-and-a-half years in prison and met people who deserve to have a second chance. I got one and I think he’s one of those people.”

  Frank’s brows came together and the skin formed deep wrinkles between them. “Why? Why do you think that?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling. And no, it’s not because he’s young and good-looking. Well, maybe because he’s young. I don’t want him to go through what Lottie and I did. I’d like to talk to him some more and get a better feel for whether he can be trusted to use a second chance well.”

  Frank shook his head slowly. “All right, you talk to him and we’ll talk later.”

  She smiled and kissed him again. “Thank you.”

  He smiled back. “You’re welcome. I hope he’s worth it.”

  Her smile faltered a little. “So do I.”

  Across the camp, Riley sat with his chin on his chest, sound asleep.

  Maisie walked over. “John. John Riley. Wake up.” She shook him.

  He jumped. “Wha…what? Where am I?”

  “You’re along the trail from Flagstaff to Prescott. We’re almost there. Less than a day out of Prescott.”

  He settled. “Oh. Yeah. I remember now.”

  “Did you try to escape?”

  He shook his head. “You and Frank pretty much put that thought out of my head. I don’t want to go off in this wilderness with no weapon. I’m not crazy.”

  “Tell me something, John. Was any of that story you told us last night true? Do you really have a girl back in New Mexico Territory?”

  He looked out in front of him. “All of it is true. Even the part about rustling the cattle. I really do have a ranch, outside of Albuquerque, that my mother is running with the help of some vaqueros. I do send her money whenever I can. I was going to take the money for returning you and high tail it back to my ranch. Now, I won’t get that chance.”

  Maisie chewed on the inside of her lower lip. “Would you leave without the money? Just go home? Or would you be stupid and try to take us in again?” I know he won’t admit to wanting to take us in again, but I want to see his face when he talks to me.

  He shook his head slowly. “Maisie, I admit I’ve done a lot of stupid things, but I’m never stupid about the same thing twice. Trust me, I’d be out of here like a shot toward my ranch, and I’ll ask that girl to marry me.”

  “Good for you.”

  Frank approached behind Maisie. He put his hands on her shoulders. “What have you two hatched up without me?”

  Maisie turned and put her arms around his waist. “Frank, can I talk to you for a minute, please?”

  “Sure. Anytime.”

  She took his hand and walked away to the other side of the camp. “I want to let John Riley go. I believe he’ll go home to his ranch by Albuquerque. I don’t believe he’ll try to take us prisoner again.”

  Frank sighed. “Maisie, not everyone is as good as you or any of my sisters-in-law.”

  She tilted her head and her eyebrows rolled up in the middle as she beseeched him. “We all got a second chance. Please, I believe him.”

  Frank, his mouth a flat line and his eyebrows almost black slashes above his eyes, looked over at Riley. “I don’t.”

 

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