Introduction

"Rider comin'!"

Ike looks up from the book he's reading when he hears Cody's shout. Off in the distance he sees Katy approaching and knows it's The Kid returning from his run.

Lou emerges from the bunkhouse, her bedroll under her arm. As she walks across the porch toward where Noah is holding Lightening for her, Ike reaches out and stops her.

*Ride safe, Lou,* he signs to her with a big smile.

"I will, Ike. You keep all the boys out of trouble round here, okay," Lou returns.

*That's asking a lot, but I'll try,* Ike grins.

The other riders watch lazily as Lou mounts Lightening and Kid smoothly passes the mochilla off to her. She races off in the opposite direction while Kid tiredly pulls Katy to a stop and dismounts.

"How was your ride?" Buck asks, walking up to take the reigns from him.

"Dusty," Kid answers, slapping his clothes and causing billows of dust to rise in the air.

"You better not bring that dust into the bunkhouse er Rachel will kill ya," Cody warns as he leans against the porch post.

"Yeah, she just finished cleaning it and woe be it unto the one who first gets it dirty. She ain't even let us back in yet," Noah adds.

Ike looks around at his friends and smiles at their affectionate bantering. It has been a long time since he's felt as welcome and wanted as he does with his express family. Most people would think it impossible that such a group of motley orphans could become a family, but that's exactly what has happened. Ike knows that the bond they have is just as strong if not stronger than any bond of blood.

While Ike's been lost in his thoughts, Kid has finally managed to get enough dirt off that he can climb the steps without causing a dust storm. "Hey, Ike," he says coming up to where Ike is sitting with his book. "There was a letter for you at the last station. I brought it with me."

Ike's eyebrows knit together in an expression of puzzlement. *For me?* he questions as he takes the letter from Kid.

"Well it says 'Ike McSwain' on it and yer the only Ike McSwain I know."

Ike glances at the envelope. Sure enough, there is his name on the front in neat writing, and up in the left hand corner the letters L. F. B.

"Who's it from, Ike?" Cody asks.

Ike just shrugs his shoulders in response. Buck moves to glance over Ike's shoulder, just as confused as his friend.

Ike looks into his best friend's eyes and, though no words are spoken, he knows they are both thinking the same thing. The only people Ike knows are all sitting right here on the porch except for Teaspoon who is in town, Rachel in the house, and Lou who just left on her run.

"Well, don't just stare at it, Ike, open it," Jimmy says impatiently.

Carefully, Ike tears open the envelope and removes a sheet of paper covered in the same neat writing. Ike unfolds the letter and begins to read.

As he reads, the other riders watch Ike closely. Because he's lived so much of his life without the ability to speak, Ike has developed wonderful facial expressions. Usually the riders only have to look at Ike to know exactly what he's trying to tell them. Now they watch his face for any clue as to what the letter is about, but what they see alarms them.

Ike's usual smile is quickly replaced by a tight frown and his face turns deadly pale. His hands are shaking as he clutches the paper and in his eyes are tears that threaten to spill out.

"What is it, Ike?" Buck asks, his voice full of concern for his best friend. The other riders move closer, wanting to know what has upset their friend so badly.

The look Ike gives them when he is done reading the letter is like none that they have ever received from him. It's the look of a person who has just had their whole world ripped out from under them; the look of a man drowning at sea.

"Ike what's wrong?" Jimmy asks again. Ike's reaction is beginning to scare them.

Suddenly, without answering, Ike shoves the letter back into the envelope and half runs, half stumbles off the porch. He rushes to one of the horses that are saddled and tied to the coral, waiting for the next rider who needs to change mounts, and grabs the reigns. Desperately, he swings himself up into the saddle and kicks the horse into a gallop away from the station.

"Ike! Wait! Where are you going? What's wrong?" Buck yells at his back as he rides off. Getting no response, Buck tries to follow him, but Kid places a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe you should leave him alone for a while. Whatever was in that letter upset him pretty bad."

"That's just it! Ike doesn't know anyone to get a letter from, unless one of the nuns at the mission suddenly decided to keep in touch, but I doubt it. They were just glad to get rid of us."

"Leave him alone. He'll tell you when he's ready," Noah says coming up beside Kid and Buck.

Buck glances at the faces of the riders with him and isn't fooled a bit by their words.

"You're all just as worried about Ike as me, don't tell me you're not," Buck says.

"Yer right, but there's nothing we can do right now," Jimmy admits. "Just give him some space."

With a sigh, Buck relents. Silently, they all stand looking out over the plains in the direction their friend rode off, worrying.