Gil Favor was a big man. He stood only a half inch shorter that Rowdy at 6'3" and a half, but had a noticeably heavier build than the ramrod. His dark hair was a big contrast to his light blue eyes, and his skin was tan from long hours in the sun. But it was not only his physical attributes that made him attractive to women. Many men are handsome, but few have as strong a character as did Gil Favor.

It had been two days since they had found the girl. Several times she had moved and moaned, a few times she even broke out into an alarming shiver, though they never allowed her to get cold. But never once had she quite broken through the wall of unconsciousness.

Gil had brought Pete, Rowdy, and some of his men back to the cabin to check everything out. There was not a person in sight – living, that is. But corpses had been abundant. It was then that they had found some clues to what had happened. Dead Indians lay where they had been shot on the outside of the cabin. Inside the cabin, however, they had found a dead man and woman. The man was white, about mid-forties, while the woman had been slightly younger. She was an Indian. But her clothes were those that a white woman would wear.

Pete suggested that the Indians had probably stopped fire when the found out a herd was coming through. Right now Gil rode at the point of the herd, still pondering what they had seen. But he did not have much time to continue doing so.

"Mr. Favor, Mr. Favor!" Gil pulled his horse back around at the sound of Wishbone's hollering. "She's havin' another spell, get Rowdy!"

Gil's eyes turned to the ramrod on the other side of the line of cattle. But Rowdy had already heard his name and seen Wishbone rushing into the back of the wagon. He was smart enough to put two and two together himself. Already he sending his horse into a gallop.

Why Wishbone thought that having Rowdy around when this happened was helpful, Gil didn't know, but he didn't question it just yet as he moved his own horse toward the wagon to see if he could be of assistance.

Wishbone wrung cold water from a cloth, and placed it on the troubled girl's forehead. This was the fourth time that she had one of these disturbing attacks. Wish figured it bad dreams, or something of the like. But whatever it was, it started off with just a bit of shivering. Then her muscles would tense, and she would sort of struggle. If it went on long enough she would be dripping sweat, and her lips would move silently.

It wasn't a pretty sight, but Wishbone had discovered something the first time it had happened.

The men had just bedded down for the night the first time she had started shivering. Wish had tried handling it quietly, but it eventually went on long enough that she started whimpering, and her jerking movements become audible.

Rowdy, who usually slept near the boss,had chosen to make his bed near the wagon, and had gotten up to see what was happening. He watched in silence for several moments, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"What's happening?" he had finally whispered to Wishbone, and like a switch, the shaking stopped.

Whatever had been ailing her looked to have left, and once again she looked like nothing more than a sleeping girl. It was at that point that Wishbone started suspecting that the girl may have, even in her state, developed an association between Rowdy and safety. The thought made Wish want to scowl and make some sort of snide remark about Rowdy being about as good as his name, but he didn't. The boy had saved her, after all.

This theory seemed to be proven even more later that night when the spell came over her again.

Wish had considered the idea quietly while Rowdy had gotten up to watch. Neither of them had said a thing, but out of nowhere Rowdy reached out to place a hand on her forehead. She stilled immediately.

The third time had occurred just before the men went out from breakfast, and had gone similarly. She had eased at the sound of the ramrod's near voice.

By the time Gil had reached the wagon, the girl was covered in sweat and breathing hard as if there were about to be a shortage of air. She shifted restlessly, her face clearly distressed. All Gil could do was watch.

"Rowdy on his way?"Wishbone asked, dabbing a wet rag at her forehead.

"Well, yeah," Gil replied, his voice full of question,"But what's that got to d - "

"Well, what's taking the boy so long?" Wishbone exclaimed, not even bothering to allow the boss to finish.

This puzzled Gil, but now he saw Rowdy coming up. Only now the girl had started letting out whimpers, and her tossing and turning increased.

"Come here, boy!" Wishbone demanded, waving him over with annoyance.

Rowdy wasn't sure what he had to do with all of this, but he was worried about the girl, and glad to be near her. He came over to the wagon and looked in.

"Well? Climb on in, boy!"

Rowdy looked up at the cook, surprised. Usually Wishbone didn't want anyone in the wagon with him and a patient. But he did as told and climbed up. He settled by the girl's side, opposite of Wishbone.

"It's the worse 'un yet,"Wishbone shook his head,"If she don't come to soon enough..."

Rowdy didn't like the sounds of it, but looking down on the ailing girl he knew it was true. Blood seeped through the cloth bandages wrapped around her waist from her struggling. She'd already lost so much of it, every drop was vital.

They didn't even know her name.

But what Wishbone said next really threw the young man off.

"Alright, well you jest hold her hand now."

Rowdy jumped slightly, his eyes snapping up to the cook.

Had he heard right?

Gil, who had been watching from the outside, had been caught unprepared as well.

What in the world did Wishbone have up his sleeve?

But he kept his silence. The bearded man only scowled and rolled his eyes.

"Well? You heard me. Grab her hand! Real nice like."

Rowdy furrowed his brows, not really sure about all this. He looked over to the boss, not completely convinced that what he was being asked to do was right. Not that he saw anything wrong with holding a girl's hand, but it just seemed so out of character for Wishbone to ask such a thing. Like a trick. However, Gil gave the younger man a slight nod of the head, though the boss was still pretty skeptical about what was going on himself. Rowdy shrugged, but reached down to take the girl's warm hand.

The shaking lessened upon contact, but it did not stop.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Rowdy asked, trying to understand what was going on.

But he was relieved when the shivering ceased after he had finished speaking.

Gil's eyebrows raised, but Wishbone looked satisfied.

The cook slowly got up. He slowly turned his eyes to the boss, and now Gil started to understand a bit why Wishbone had been so intent on having Rowdy around.

"Yeah, I think she'll be fine,"Wishbone replied.

Rowdy was still having trouble piecing everything together. But he couldn't ask Wishbone, because he was already climbing out of the wagon and walking off.

"Say, what's all this about, anyway, boss?"he asked, glancing at Gil, before turning his eyes back down to the girl.

His thumb absently stroked the back of her hand. The trail boss stood there in silence for several more moments, watching the two.

Well, what could he honestly say to him?

"I'll tell ya when I'm sure myself," he finally replied. He gave his ramrod a nod, before leaving to go back to the herd.

I hope you liked the progression of the story so far! Please leave a review behind to make my day!