Author's Note: Sorry this chapter has been so long in coming. Due to some lingering illness and some other things that have happened in my life, I haven't been much in the mood to write lately. Hopefully I will do better in the future. As I've written this chapter, I've gotten several ideas for future chapters. Usually that inspires me to write, so we'll see what happens.

Once again, thanks go out to gaben, whose comment spurred part of the story line that is being set up in this chapter. I welcome all thoughts and suggestions. If I like it, I might even work it into the story.

CHAPTER 10

Chris started toward the saloon. He hoped his eyes had been playing tricks on him and it had been someone else Aaron had been escorting into the establishment. But, he knew that wouldn't be the case, his observation skills were too good to be that mistaken.

The black-clad man was so intent on his thoughts and anger at his brother and daughter that he didn't notice the figure move away from the side of the building toward the livery stable. In fact, he didn't even notice the townspeople who quickly stepped out of his way once they spotted the angry expression on his face. Chris Larabee in high temper was not something anyone wanted to mess with.

His footsteps rang heavily on the wooden porch as he approached the door to the saloon. Chris paused for a moment, taking a look inside for his quarry. He easily spotted Aaron and Sammy sitting at a table between the door and the large front window and growled low when he saw the way his brother was holding Sammy's hand and leaning close to her. Pushing the batwing doors open he quickly strode to the table.

"What the hell is going on here?" he demanded. His anger only grew when Sammy looked up at him and he saw the tears staining her cheeks. "What happened? Are you hurt?" he demanded again, before she had a chance to answer his first question.

Waiting for her to answer, Chris turned his angry glare toward Aaron. "Well?" he demanded once again.

Aaron shared a look with Sammy then stood, moving to stand between her and Chris. He'd seen Chris' idea of discipline and didn't want his brother getting any ideas at that particular moment. "It's not what you think."

"No," Chris questioned, "well, why don't you tell me what it is then."

Chris was oblivious to the stares and looks the other patrons of the saloon were sending their way, hoping for a few minutes entertainment. However, Sammy and Aaron were not.

"Why don't we go someplace a little more private to discuss this?" Aaron suggested.

"No, we're gonna discuss it right here, right now. You'd best answer my question before I do something we'll all regret."

"I came upon Sammy being hassled by some kid. I could tell he was bothering her, so I chased him off. She was upset, so I brought her in here to calm her down. But you came storming in here first," Aaron explained.

"Sammy?" Chris drew her attention.

Sammy met his eyes, and nodded in response to his unasked request for verification of Aaron's explanation.

Chris nodded. He was still angry, but Aaron's statement had tempered his anger somewhat with concern. "Let's go over to the jail to discuss this." He turned on his heel and stalked out the door, not looking back to see if Aaron and Sammy were following him.

The Indian boy who rode his horse into town at a full gallop was on a mission. It was the most important task his grandfather had ever entrusted him with – to find the healer and bring him back to the village. The only problem was he didn't know where he was supposed to find the healer. He'd left the village in such hurry; he hadn't thought to ask that one vital question.

He dismounted and loosely tied the reigns to his horse at a nearby hitching post. He tried to approach a man and woman who were walking down the street, but they ignored him as though they hadn't even seen them. The boy spotted a man he thought he recognized, but the black-clad man was leading another man and a woman into a building. Even from quite a distance away, the boy could tell the black-clad man was angry and was too afraid to approach him.

Starting to feel desperate, because he knew how important it was that the healer come quickly and he didn't want to disappoint his grandfather, the boy again looked around for someone who might be willing to help. He nearly sighed in relief when he spotted Josiah working outside the church. There was a boy who appeared to be a few years younger working alongside the big man.

"Inashoog Ndeeń!"

Josiah looked up at the sound of the name by which he was known in Kojay's village and spotted the boy running toward him. A sudden chill of fear ran up his spine. If Kojay had sent this child Four Corners, something was terribly wrong. He knew from a conversation with Mary that at least one of the ranches Nancy Bishop wanted to visit was located near the reservation. Trying to act nonchalant so as to not worry Kevin, he waited until the boy had reached his side before asking, "Mahko, what's wrong?"

Mahko glanced at Kevin before turning his attention to Josiah. "Shichoo sent me to find the healer. His help is needed in the village."

Josiah knew that Kojay sent for Nathan only there was something that the tribe's medicine man couldn't handle. He moved forward and grasped the boy by his shoulders. "What's happened? Is someone injured?"

Mahko nodded. "Vin brought tichii bitsizii isdzan. I don't know what happened, but they took her to Shichoo's tepee and sent me to get the healer. Shichoo said to bring him as fast as I could."

Kevin sensed something was wrong. He didn't know who or what the boy was talking about, but he knew Vin and healer had been mentioned in the same breath. He dropped the brush he'd been using to apply varnish to a desk, heedless of the fact that the wet brush landed on the dusty ground, and ran to Josiah's side. "Is Vin hurt?"

Mahko shook his head. "Vin wasn't hurt."

"If Kojay told you to get Nathan there in a hurry, we don't have any time to waste," Josiah interrupted before Mahko could say anything further. "Kevin, you go to the jail and get Chris and tell him to get over to the clinic. Mahko, you and I are going to go get Nathan."

Kevin took off running to do as he'd been told. He'd sensed the unspoken urgency in Josiah's voice. As he was running it dawned on him that if Vin wasn't hurt, then the person in trouble had to be Miss Bishop. Guilt and fear almost made him stop in his tracks, but he kept going. Still, he couldn't help but think that if Miss Bishop had gotten hurt it was all his fault for being angry at her for taking Vin away from him that morning.

Chris stalked up the steps to the jail and pushed open the door. He waited until Aaron and Sammy and entered before slamming it shut. Turning, the gunman leveled his infamous stare first at Aaron, then at Sammy. "Okay, who wants to tell me what happened?" he demanded.

Sammy glanced at Aaron before meeting Chris's angry eye. "Martin cornered me beside the walk in front of the saloon. He accused me of thinking myself too good to go riding with him. I tried to get away, but he wouldn't let me go." She rubbed her upper left arm where it was still sore from the grip Martin had had on it.

Chris didn't miss her action and stepped forward. He unbuttoned the top button of her cotton shirt and pulled it off her shoulder far enough to see the top of the dark bruise that was starting to form. Cursing viciously, he turned to Aaron while Sammy straightened her shirt.

"That doesn't explain what she was doing in the saloon. She knows she isn't supposed to be in there."

Aaron stepped forward so that he was between Chris and Sammy. "Don't blame her, I took her in there after I chased the boy off. She needed to calm down and compose herself, and the saloon was the closest place where I thought she could do that."

Before Chris could reply, the door to the jail burst open and Kevin ran in. "Chris, Josiah needs you over at the clinic," he stated, barely able to speak he was so out of breath.

Chris waited a moment for the boy to get his wind back before asking, "what's wrong?"

"I don't know. Some boy from the Indian village told Josiah that Vin was there and they'd taken somebody to a teepee and sent him to get the healer. Josiah sent me over here to get you while he took the boy to Nathan's. You don't think Vin or Miss Bishop are hurt do you?"

Chris could hear the worry in Kevin's voice. And if he wasn't mistaken, there was a tinge of guilt as well. That would be something either he or Vin would have to talk to him about, but that would have to wait. He glanced at Sammy and was relieved to see that she seemed to be pulling herself together. "Sammy, I want you to take Kevin back to the boarding house and stay with him there."

"But, I want to go to Nathan's," she stated. "There might be something I can do to help."

"And I want to find out if Vin's hurt," Kevin protested. He liked Sammy, but he really didn't want to be stuck at the boarding house without knowing what was going on.

Chris considered for a moment. After his initial reaction, he realized there was a good possibility that he would be staying here in town, especially since Nathan and Josiah, along with Vin, had the best relationship with the inhabitants of Kojay's village. "Okay, you can go to the clinic, and then we'll see." He could see the momentary glimpse of relief that passed across Kevin's face. "Go on, I need to talk to Aaron about something, then I'll be right over."

Sammy sent a worried glance at Aaron. She had known that she wasn't supposed to be in the saloon, but she had been too upset to care. Still, she didn't want Aaron to get in trouble for trying to help her. "Chris . . ." she started to protest.

"Don't worry, I just need to talk to him. Go before I change my mind about sending you straight to the boarding house. I'll be right behind you."

Sammy nodded and, taking Kevin's hand, led him from the jail, closing the door behind her.

Chris waited until the door was firmly closed before turning to his brother.

"Don't ever think to stand between me and Sammy again."

"I didn't want you punishing her for something that wasn't her fault. You're too hard on her."

Chris stepped forward until he was crowding the slightly smaller man. He was grateful for what Aaron had done in getting Sammy away from Martin, and could even live with the fact that he had taken Sammy into the saloon. What he wouldn't tolerate was the idea that Aaron thought he had to protect Sammy from Chris. "How I handle Sammy is my business. I told you before you don't know anything about what's gone on."

Turning, Chris stalked to the door. Before exiting the room he paused. "Thanks for getting her away from that bastard." Without turning to look at Aaron he walked through the door, closing it behind him. He was definitely going to have to do something about Martin, but first he needed to find out what was going on at Nathan's.

When Chris entered the clinic, Sammy was busy helping Nathan pack medical supplies into a bag. "What's going on?" he asked, looking around the room.

Josiah gestured to the boy who was standing beside him. Chris recognized him as an inhabitant of Kojay's village, but didn't know his name. His questioning look was quickly answered.

"This is Mahko, Kojay's grandson," Josiah stated. "Kojay sent him here to get Nathan. He doesn't know what's wrong, but from what he's said Vin rode in with Miss Bishop. She's hurt or injured."

"Whatever it is has gotta be bad if the tribe's medicine man can't handle it," Nathan commented as he secured the top to one of the saddle bags into which the supplies were being packed. "Josiah's goin' with me. He can come back and get anything else I might need."

"I want to go, too." Kevin jumped up from where he'd been sitting on the floor. "I can help."

Cognizant of their earlier discussion, Josiah shook his head slightly at Chris, indicating that he wanted to handle this. It wasn't that Chris wasn't good with Kevin, because he was very good with the boy. Josiah knew from observing his interactions with both Sammy and Kevin that despite Chris stern demeanor, he made a very good father. But the situation called for a little more tact than Chris was likely to give it.

"No, son. You'll help most by staying here. We'll have to move fast, and you aren't that comfortable on a horse yet." Josiah paused, trying to come up with something that would soften the blow. "Besides, Vin will feel better knowing that you're safe here in town."

Kevin eyed Josiah skeptically, wondering if the former priest was trying to pull something over on him. In his mind, he had to go with them to find out if Miss Bishop was okay. After all, it was his fault she was sick. If he hadn't gotten so angry at her and Vin nothing would have happened.

"I won't slow you down, I promise. I'm lots better on a horse."

Sammy sensed something was going on, but she couldn't put her finger on what. She didn't know why Kevin was so adamant about going, but she agreed with what Josiah had said. She crossed the room and put her arm around Kevin's shoulders and urged him toward the door.

"Come on, you can keep me company." She knew the boy liked hearing her play the piano, so she thought that might make a good distraction. "I'm working on a new piece and want your opinion on it." Mary had given her the gift of a music book so that she could learn the names of the notes she had been playing and some blank sheet music. She had been experimenting with writing down some the tunes that played in her head.

Grateful, Chris caught Sammy's eye as she led Kevin out the door. He nodded his head in thanks. Understanding, Sammy smiled in return. While she knew they still had a lot to discuss about what had happened that afternoon, she instinctively knew that all had been forgiven and everything was good once again.

Nathan and Josiah each grabbed a set of saddlebags and followed the children out the door, with Mahko following closely on Josiah's heels.

"Be safe," Chris said in parting. "If you need anything send someone from the village to get me."

The two men nodded. Chris watched as they mounted their horses and quickly rode out of town, following behind Mahko. He couldn't help but smile at the boy's eagerness to leave the town behind. Chris didn't know if it was the urgency of his mission or being in the town itself, but the boy had been antsy to leave as quickly as he could.

As Chris stepped down off the stairs that lead up to Nathan's clinic he heard someone calling his name. He turned and spotted Maude Standish hurrying his way, Ezra at her side. Chris couldn't hear what the gambler was saying, but from his body language and gestures, the gunman was sure he was attempting to talk his mother out of something. He had a bad feeling as to what that something might be.

He wished he could just turn and walk off in the other direction. But, he recalled that he had intended to speak with the woman about her visit to the boarding house the evening before. So, he waited impatiently until the pair reached him.

"Mr. Larabee, I wonder if I could have a moment of your time?" Maude stated by way of a greeting.

She ignored Ezra as he practically growled, "Mother, we discussed this."

Maude patted his arm and continued. "There is something I would like to speak with you about."

TBC

Author's note: I found the following words on an Apache language dictionary. They are used without any knowledge of appropriate syntax or punctuation. Rough translations are provided:

Inashoog Ndeeń – Christian Man

tichii bitsizii isdzan – red hair woman

Shichoo – Grandfather (paternal)

I wish I had been able to find something suitable for Nathan and for Vin, but the limited vocabulary I found didn't really have anything that worked.