I do NOT own the Big Valley nor any of the original Barkley characters. Thanks to my Beta Reader, though all mistakes are my own.

Raging River

Chapter Twenty-One

The sun beat down upon the men and cattle as if it thought they'd give up and go home, if it was just hot enough. "Boy Howdy!" Heath looked at his brother, "You know you could turn down the heat somehow? It's got to be the hottest day we've ever had, and it's not even August yet."

Nick wiped the perspiration off his brow and put his Stetson back on his head. It was hot, but work was work, and it waited for no man. "Wish I could, as it is," he gave Heath a huge grin, "I think we're stuck."

"Masta Heath! Masta Heath!" Nick and Heath looked back and were shocked to see out of all people, Silas, pushing a horse forward as fast as he could. "There's something dreadfully wrong with that picture," Nick said as he looked on his brother.

No one had to inform him of that one. Silas, their butler and part time cook, riding any horse at the speed he was doing could only spell one thing- trouble. "Tell me about it!" Heath said as he pushed Charger in the direction the man was coming from and forgot about the cattle.

"McCall," Nick called out to the foreman; the man was on the east side of the cattle, "Take over, I'm going to see what's up!" There was no way he was going to do anything else. After all, this was his ranch; if something was happening on it, he needed to know!

"Yes, Mr. Barkley!" McCall wasn't about to argue, no one was. They were just as curious as the Barkleys as to what was up.

By the time Nick caught up with Heath, his brother was almost to their butler. They were shocked to see a bit of blood on the side of Silas' face. Somehow, Heath just knew Mary was in trouble. "What happened Silas?" Heath leaned forward in his saddle, as did Nick.

"He push right by me! He keep demandin' to know where Miss Mary was! Said ya cheated him! He took her, Masta Heath," Silas talked, his eyes wide, "de big husky, bearded man, de one who forced his way into de house, he done took Miss Mary!" The man had been horrified to come to in front of the stairs only to realize Mary Barkley was nowhere in sight.

Rage filled Heath and Nick, Burner! Burner had indeed come back as Mary had feared he would! "He'll take her back to his house!" Heath put his horse on a dead run. "He'd better not hurt her!"

"Silas," Nick looked at the man and nodded towards their foreman, "Go tell McCall what's happened. Ask him to take over for a while. I'll send a wire to Jarrod and tell him what's goin' on!" Nick hurried to catch up with Heath; he wasn't about to let his brother go after the man by himself.

While Nick and Heath rode hard and fast into town to talk to the sheriff and send the wire to Jarrod, Mr. Burner was securing 'his' cook and maid on the extra horse he'd hidden out of sight. "Now you listen here!" Mr. Burner was yelling at the top of his lungs as he slapped the woman who had just tried to escape from him, "I don't know how that man got four aces, but I say he cheated and I'm taking my property back! Do not go running off on me again; I just might decide you're not worth it!"

Mary was furious as she continued to glare at the man who had knocked Silas out, after asking him where she was, and then used his gun to force her into the back of a wagon. "Unlike a lot of men, Heath Barkley does not lie nor would he cheat!" That earned her another slap as Mr. Burner mounted his horse.

"You will be quiet or I will gag that mouth of yers with a bandana!" He barked as he headed in the direction he'd come. "You are coming back to my place and going back to working for me. That cowboy ain't goin' come lookin' for you. He never wanted you in the first place!"

For a split second Mary thought about letting loose and setting the man straight only to realize the man was so angry he hadn't even said a word about the small band she wore on her left hand. Okay, it wasn't a diamond yet, but Heath and she were waiting for the one they'd had especially made for her. If he thought she was still single, he'd head back for that run down pigpen he called home and Heath would have no problem in finding her! Mary bit her lip and let the man ramble on as she held onto the love she had for a blonde haired cowboy, and the fact that she knew he'd be coming to fetch her home. She glanced up at the sky, "Please, tell Heath, somehow, I'll swim until he comes and gets me. Please, tell that cowboy, he ain't the only who knows how to swim upriver."