Chapter One

A/N My sister and I are cowriting this.

The wind, which had been a gentle breeze, was now roaring like a lion – and doing its best to rip the coats off the couple hurrying towards a dark cave half way up a hill. Normally, the gentleman-who had been blessed to catch a wild horse- might have been tempted to let out a few choice words and wondered where the Barkley luck had gone too. As it was, as hard as he and his companion were having to fight to even walk, he saved his energy to push forward. Besides, the turn of weather was a huge blessing….as it was buying time to put distance between them and the posse. He was praying and hoping the darkening clouds would also send down enough rain to wash out any trail the men behind them were following. Someone 'up there' must have read his mind – as thunder roared, lightning flashed and buckets full of water began pouring down not a split second after he and his friend entered the cave. Needless to say, he had a fight on his hands to get their new horse to settled down. Afterwards, he was surprised to see a small post standing near the wall of the cave. While he didn't know what it was doing there, he tethered the animal to it.

While he took care of the horse, the dark haired woman with him began making her way around the cave (which turned out to have no attaching tunnels). As he did his eye fell on a pile of wood and what appeared to be a small fire pit. He worried it meant that they had -or would have – company. That was the last thing they needed at the moment….though he was grateful for the miracle of finding such a place. However, before he had any more time to dwell on the matter the black haired woman let out a scream. Naturally, that had him running to her; she was standing near the back of the cave-next to a pile of boxes. The moment he was beside her, she was holding onto him-shaking just a little.

He didn't have to ask why…as by this time his eyes had adjusted to the dark and he could see a still form behind the boxes. The best he could tell there was a knife in the man's back. Seeing how they could do nothing for the stranger, he started opening the boxes. Some were empty, others held various tools…none of which were useful to him at the moment. However, when it came to the last one, he felt as if he'd stuck the mother lode. Well, considering their situation, it might as well be. It was filled with cans of beans, along with a few pans, a couple of plates and some utensils.

He reached in and picked up a couple of cans, along with a pan- and then guided his friend away from the stranger. "I'll build a fire, and then you can cook the beans."

"Whoever killed him, they might be nearby-or come back." His companion spoke just above whisper.

A small portion of him had the same fear only, odd enough, most of him felt a peaceful reassurance that would not be the case. Though, he said nothing until he had the fire going, and she was cooking.

"We'll leave the first chance we get. If we stick to the high country, we can avoid all the small towns we'd normally have to pass through. And, since we won't be stopping and asking any questions like our 'friends' are sure to do, we should be able to make it back to the ranch before any of them get close to Stockton." He went on to say they'd take some of the beans, the pan, two plates and the utensils with them somehow. "I'll leave some money in the box-just in case someone does come for the missing items."

For the first time since they'd fled Clairton, he thought on the sheriff, deputy and posse chasing them. Both the sheriff and deputy knew full well who he was. He was sure the two lawmen had already sent various telegrams to Stockton and other outlying towns-or had someone do it for them…which was the main reason for sticking to the paths in the higher country.

Except for the howling wind and downpouring rain, there was no other sounds around them. For that matter, there was no conversation happening near the fire pit either.

"I should have listened to Mama. He was no good. She saw that, but I was too blind. What would she do if she could see me now? What would she do if she knew I am being hunted by a sheriff and his posse. What would she say if she knew a man I barely know is now a wanted man because he refused to turn his back on me." The black haired woman kept her eyes on the dancing flames in front of her.

"It's not your fault. I stepped in of my own free will." He assured her.

"But Senor Barkley, if they catch us before we get to Stockton, they'll hang us. That no good sheriff doesn't care about getting his facts straight. Which means, he's probably filled his deputy full of lies. The same thing with the men in the posse." She handed him a plate of beans and then, dishing herself some food, sat down beside him-glancing down at the bottom of her simple light blue skirt as she did so. It had caught on some brush and now had a rip in it.

Senior Barkley. He had to laugh. For as long as he'd known her, and as close as she and her parents had been to him and his parents… he figured she should be calling him by name all the time. However, she'd always had a way of slipping into 'Señor Barkley' when she was under stress. It looked like she still did. "Audra has plenty of dresses, she can lend you one when we get back to the ranch." He told her once he saw what she was looking at

The rain continued to beat down upon the ground while the two ate and discussed the best route to take, seeing how they needed to remain unseen as much as possible

While they talked the men chasing them were sitting in an abandoned building, cursing the rain and debating what to do when the door swung open and one of their men, a tall, thin middle aged man by the name of Hank Pike stepped in.

"Shut the door, Hank! It's cold outside!" Sheriff Lund-a bald man pushing fifty-five-barked from a table in middle of the building. He'd been looking at a map he'd brought along with him. "Find anything?"

"No, I told you I wouldn't!" Hank threw his hat down on the table and removed his coat, hanging it over the back of the chair before moving to the potbelly stove the other men had built a fire in. "The rain's washed any sign of them away. All we can do is wait out the storm and head straight for *Greenville."

"What makes you think they'll be there?" Sheriff Lund, who had mud for brains, barked louder than necessary.

"It's the closest town! And don't tell me they'd hightail anywhere but a town. They would need at least one horse to go up into the higher country…and their horse is lying dead a few miles back-looks like it must have stumbled, fell and then broke a leg! Remember? They're on foot now!" Hank snapped back, glaring at the lawman-as if daring him to disagree.

Disagree is something the sheriff wanted to do only he couldn't-as he could tell by the way the other men turned and looked at him-they were thinking the same thing. "Fine, we head to Greenville first chance we get." The sheriff turned his attention back to map.