The bartender eyed the scruffy young man as he approached the bar. He didn't look old enough to shave, but he had a shadow of stubble on his chin and his hat and clothes were worn and travel-stained.

"Whiskey," and a coin was plunked down on the bar. The bartender gave a mental shrug and poured a glass. It was none of his business how old the boy was, if he could pay for it, he could drink it.

The young man eyed the saloon's other patrons. He took a drink and pushed his hat back off his forehead. His blue eyes took in the poker game at the far end of the room and the trio of rough-looking cowboys at a nearby table. A pretty blonde girl, wearing a dress cut to show an ample bosom and shapely legs, brought them another bottle at their shouted request. One of the men grabbed her roughly and pulled her into his lap.

"How 'bout you an' me head on upstairs for a little fun?" The girl wore a frightened look, but headed with him to the stairs. One of the other saloon girls, older than the blonde, moved to intercept them.

"I would think a man like you would prefer something a little more…experienced," she purred, stroking his arm. The cowboy shook her off and crushed the blonde closer to him.

"Naw, I like 'em fresh." He laughed callously as he dragged the girl up the stairs.

The young man at the bar sipped his drink as he watched the older woman walk up to the bartender.

"Hank, you shouldn't let them-"

"She knows what workin' here means, Sally," Hank said abruptly. "Now see about them gents playin' cards." Sally shook her head and went to wait on the other customers.

The young man felt a surge of sympathy for the girl. He knew too well what it was to be trapped in a life not of your choosing and he was sure the blonde wouldn't've chose this life if she had any other options. He stayed at the bar, nursing his drink, thinking about where he would head next. His pay from the cattle drive was almost gone and not too many outfits were hiring right now. Maybe across the Sierras. There was talk of some silver strikes up there, but he hated mining. He noticed the cowboy swagger down the stairs and was still mulling over his options when the young saloon girl came back to the room.

"My turn next," one of the cowboy's friends stated and went to grab the girl's arm. The young man noticed a trace of tears on her cheeks and a darkening bruise under her right eye. He stood up abruptly.

"How much for her for the whole night?" he asked the bartender.

Hank eyed him appraisingly. "Ten dollars."

The young man mentally winced. That was almost all the money he had left. But he just couldn't let that frightened young girl go off with another of those brutes. He slowly counted out the money and laid it on the bar.

"She's all yours." The money quickly disappeared behind the counter. The other man grumbled a little but didn't object any further as the young man took the blonde's arm and led her up the stairs, his eyes already on Sally.

After closing the door to the room, Katey took a deep breath and forced a smile onto her face. Maybe this one wouldn't be as bad, she told herself, but knew the kind look in his eyes could be an act. She put a hand on her hip and turned to face him. The young man was still standing by the door, awkwardly holding his hat in his hands. "Why don't you have a seat and tell me what you'd like." Katey tried hard to insert a note of cheerfulness in her voice. It's better than starving, she told herself, but that line was wearing a little thin. Especially after the last one. She refrained from touching her bruised cheek. Maybe starving wouldn't be such a bad choice after all.

The young man, still ill at ease, sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. Katey sat beside him and placed a hand on his leg. He looked up at her. "What's your name?" His voice was a deep, soft drawl.

"Katey." She couldn't look away from those warm blue eyes. They seemed so kind, not cruel and lustful like so many men she'd met. "What's yours?"

"Heath." The young man pulled his gaze away.

Katey started unbuttoning her dress. Might as well do it herself, at least that way it wouldn't get damaged. But before she got very far, Heath put a hand on hers to stop it.

"You don't hafta do that."

Katey looked at him in surprise. The young man, Heath, was looking at her again, an unfathomable expression on his face.

"But you paid…" she started and stopped when he shook his head.

"Not for that. Couldn't just sit by and let those men hurt you any more."

Katey saw the sincerity on his face and offered Heath a genuine smile. "Thank you," she said softly. "But you still paid good money. What were you planning on doing all night? Talk?"

Heath just shrugged. "Hadn't thought that far," he admitted. He regarded her closely. She looked even younger than he'd originally guessed. "How old are you, Katey?"

Katey looked away, then gave him a challenging stare. "I turned fifteen last month. You can't be much older."

It was Heath's turn to look defensive. "I'm almost seventeen. Been on my own for about four years now."

Katey smiled. "I guess you've got me there, too. I only left home two years ago." Then it struck her and she laughed. "But we've got something in common, both being on our own since we were thirteen."

Heath gave her a charming lopsided grin. "I reckon we do at that." They were silent for a moment, then Heath asked, "So how did you end up in a place like this, as a…" He didn't finish.

Katey looked down at her hands. "Nowhere else to go," she admitted. "And not many other ways a girl can keep herself fed."

"No family to look out for you?" Heck, even he had his mama, back in Strawberry, if no one else.

But Katey just shook her head. "No, the only family I have…" She wasn't about to go into details. "Let's just say, they're not looking out for me. You?"

Heath smiled slightly at the thought of his mama. "Just my mama," he replied. "Never knew my father."

There was another awkward silence. Katey wasn't sure what else to say. Most of the men who brought her up to this room weren't interested in talking.

It was Heath who spoke up again. "Is it usually like that?" he asked hesitantly. "I mean, the bruise on your face…" The words trailed off. He oughtn't have asked, but hated the thought that Katey endured that sort of abuse on a regular basis.

Shrugging, Katey replied, "Sometimes, not always. But I can't really expect any different." Her stepfather had taught her that.

But Heath persisted. "Why don't you just leave? Go somewhere else?'

Katey laughed, but it wasn't a happy sound. It was full of a bitterness someone her age shouldn't have to feel. "And do what? Would anyplace else be any different?"

"What if you left with me?" The words were out of his mouth before Heath could even think. What was he thinking? He certainly couldn't offer her anything. But, looking at her bruised face, she had even fewer choices than he did. If she came with him, at least he'd try to protect her.

Katey looked at him in astonishment. This boy, no, in spite of his age she had to think of him as a man, was asking her to go with him. She shook her head. "Why? I'd only just get in your way. I don't have a horse or much money."

"That don't matter," Heath told her. "I don't have much money, either, but I do have a horse. At least it'll give you some time away from places like these. And how could it be any worse?"

Katey considered. He was right. It couldn't be any worse. And if she wasn't any help on the trail, at least she could repay his kindness in other ways.

"I'll go with you, Heath." She gazed into his blue eyes again and couldn't stop herself from leaning over and kissing him full on the lips. As she felt him respond, Katey slid a hand up the inside of his thigh. Even though he'd said that wasn't why he'd paid for her, his kindness and generosity made her want to give him something in return.

Heath abruptly pulled away and walked across the room. Suddenly, Katey felt ashamed. What must he think of her? Of course a decent man like Heath wouldn't want to have anything to do with a cheap saloon girl like her.

"I—I'm sorry," she stammered. "I-I understand if you don't want me."

Heath turned back and she could feel the shame reddening her face. Looking at him, she saw his face blushing as well. "It's not that I don't want you, Katey," he blurted out, "it's just…" His blush deepened. Katey suddenly realized the cause and couldn't help but smile.

"Heath, haven't you ever been with a woman before?'

Heath shook his head, profoundly embarrassed.

Katey walked over to him, unbuttoning her dress the rest of the way and letting it fall to the floor. "Then don't you think it's about time?"

About an hour before sunrise, Katey slipped out of the bed and got dressed. She left and went to the room she shared with Sally. If she was planning to leave with Heath, she might as well gather up her few things. A brush that used to belong to her mother, a locket her brother gave her before he went off to fight in the war, a book of poetry given to her by her favorite teacher, the nineteen dollars she'd managed to save. She changed into the one other dress she owned and surveyed her meager belongings laid out on the bed. Oh, well, at least she wouldn't weight them down.

The door opened and Sally walked in.

"Didn't expect to find you here," she said, then saw Katey's things on the bed. "That sweet talkin' cowboy convince you to leave with him?"

Katey nodded silently, unsure what the older woman's reaction would be. Sally went to her side of the dresser and pulled something from the top drawer.

"Here." She thrust a small pouch into Katey's hands. "It's not much, but maybe it'll help."

Katey felt the weight of the pouch's contents and heard the soft jingle of coins. "Sally," she said, aghast, "I can't take your money. It just wouldn't be right!" She tried to give the pouch back, but Sally wouldn't take it.

"Nonsense. I won't need it. Besides, you've got a chance to get away from here, maybe even out of this life if you're lucky." Sally grabbed a shawl from the back of a chair and quickly bundled Katey's things into it. She handed the bundle to the girl and gave her a warm hug before pushing her toward the door. "Hank's sleepin'. Don't know if he'd try to stop you, but there's no use waitin' around to find out."

Katey couldn't believe the support Sally was giving her. "I don't know what to say."

"Nothin'. I hate long goodbyes." Sally opened the door and chased Katey out. "Now get along and don't look back." With that, she closed the door and left Katey standing in the hall.

Katey returned to the room where she had left Heath sleeping. He was already awake and dressed, just buckling on his gunbelt. He gave her one of his heartstopping smiles as she entered.

"Thought you'd changed your mind. Glad you didn't." Heath grabbed his hat. "Glad you're an early riser, too. Ready to go?" At Katey's nod, he took the bundle from her and led the way out the door.