The sun was starting to shine through the window and onto Josie's face the next morning. She could feel its warmth and turned over, trying to get back to sleep, but it was no use. She sat up and yawned softly, placed the blanket aside and rolled up her trouser leg so that she could look at her wound.

As she gently pulled it up, she could see that it had bled right through the dressing and bandages again. She unwound them and sighed. "Not again!"

The noise woke Colin up. He yawned and stood up, folding the blanket he had used and placed it back onto the chair. He looked over at Josie and noticed the bloodied dressings and bandages on the floor in front of the couch. "Josie?" He asked as he went over to her.

Josie jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Its okay."

"You scared me." She said as she tried to hide her wound, but Colin had already seen it

"Josie." Colin said softly, but sternly." Let me see it." He saw her nod and he went and crouched down in front of her leg. "How did this happen? Did it have anything to do with your bad dream last night?"

"No. It's a long story. I'll give you the short version. I managed to get cautgh in a bear trap. The Constable and Abigail found me two days later and brought me here. When it had first happened, the gash went right to the bone on both sides. I'm lucky it didn't fracture as well in the bargain. I've been quite sick too because of it." Josie went silent.

"How did you get caught in it in the first place?" Colin continued to look at the wound.

"I was walking through the forest when I stepped on it. I didn't realize it was there." Josie looked away and Colin knew she thought the matter closed.

"Where do you keep the first aid kit?"

"In the kitchen, top cupboard on your left." Josie instructed as Colin got up. "Its at the back."

Colin found the box easily and took care of cleaning Josie's wound. "Quite a nasty gash it caused." He commented.

"Yeh, especially as before you could see the bones. Not a word about this to anyone, alright? I don't need people fussing and pitying me."

Colin smiled a little bit, Josie was quite temperamental. "Promise."

"Good." She replied as she tried to stand up. She stood for a few seconds, testing out her leg to make sure it was okay.

"You alright?"

"Yeh, just making sure that I can handle walking. Right, can you cook?" She asked as she walked around the couch to the table.

"Well, I'm no fancy chef, but I'm no charcoal maker either. What do you want me to do?" He asked as he followed her to the kitchen and placed the box back where it belonged.

"I'll have a look and see what there is." Josie said as she went over to the icebox and opened it. "Looks like its eggs on toast today, here." She said handing him the eggs and milk. "Test the eggs please. I need to go outside and grab some kindling for the fire and do a couple of other things."

"Alright."

When Josie returned with an armful of wood, Colin had already mixed up the eggs, got them on the stove and was cutting up slices of bread. She put the wood down in the basket and washed her hands in the bowl. As she dried her hands on a towel, she turned to Colin. "How long is your family planning on staying here?"

"Until we find somewhere we can live. We only came to Canada a few weeks ago." Colin replied as he put the bread into the oven to heat up.

"I guess you weren't from around here by your accent. Your Australian, right?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Oh, I have my ways." She replied with a hint of cheekiness. "No, a neighbour that used to live here was from Australia and he had the same accent, so I put two and two together. So, what brings the McGregor clan halfway across the world?"

"Like you told me before about your leg, it's a long story. We lost the family ranch and saw that the government here was giving out land up North. That's where we've planned on going."

"Oh." Josie said, a little crestfallen. "Do you guys really need to go North?"

"Maybe, maybe not. It depends on where we can get work. We saw in a paper in Vancouver about the mine hiring men, and we are going to try to get work there." Colin jumped as Josie dropped a plate, he noticed as soon as he had mentioned the word "Mine."

She looked at the plate on the floor, and looked at him, terror and sadness showing on her face and in her eyes. She struggled to keep her voice steady as she spoke "Have you heard about the mine disaster that happened a few months ago?"

"Yes, Constable Thornton told us what happened."

"Promise me that if I find you and your family work, you wont go back in to that mine."

"Why?"

"Have you wondered why my last name is different from Abigail's?"

"Yes, but I wasn't going to ask."

"Its okay. I don't mind telling you a little bit. My father was best friends with Mrs. Stanton's husband. They both died in the explosion."

"Josie, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize."

"My mother passed away before the explosion." Josie said as she grabbed the cutlery and placed it on the table. "I've been on my own since that happened until Abigail found me. I've been here since then. You'll learn more about me over time, but that's enough for you now."

"The egg's are ready." Colin said as he pulled the pan off the stove. "What other work is there here than the mine?"

"I have some work that needs to be done on my ranch, that's about all the work I know that people would be hiring for.

"Your ranch? Oh, Emily." Colin said to her as she came down the stairs. "Breakfast is ready."

"Okay, thank you. I'll just go get Elizabeth down" She disappeared back up the stairs.

"Okay, back to our conversation. Ranch?"

"Yes. My father owned a large property. I'm the only child and there is no other relatives living that I know of, and I'm not about to go and try to find them. I plan to continue the running of the ranch, but I'll need to hire some people to work for me. But all that stuff can wait, I want to find out more about you guys."

"What do you want to know?" Colin asked as he passed Josie some plates.

"How many of you McGregors are there?"

"Well, you've seen Emily, my wife. We have a girl, Annie, and a boy, Josh. My father, Matt, and his wife, Kathleen. I have a two brothers, Rob and Michael and a sister Danielle. We all call her Danni. Then I have my two cousins, Luke and Jay."

"Wow, that's a lot of family. You guys are so lucky to have that many."

"Yes, we are. Good morning, Miss thatcher." Colin said as Emily and her came back down.

"Colin, please just call me Elizabeth, and I must say that breakfast smells wonderful." Elizabeth said as she sat down at the table. "Who cooked it?"

"Mostly Colin." Josie replied. "I'll just put another log on the fire." She replied as she went over to the wood basket.

When Josie sat down at the table, everyone else was ready to eat. "Who would like to ask the blessing?"

No one said anything for a few seconds, then Colin nodded. "I'll say it." He waited until the ladies had bowed their heads, and closed their eyes. "Lord, we give thanks for this food. May it nourish us and give us strength. Please be with us today and protect us all. Amen." Colin opened his eyes. "Now, before we do begin, I would just like to introduce you two properly." He said, motion to Emily and Josie. "Josie, this is my wife Emily. Emily, this is Josie. Right, lest eat now." He joked as he picked up the salt shaker.

"How's Abigail, Emily?" Josie asked as she cut her bread.

"She's sleeping now, but I think she'll be fine. I'll get the Constable to wire the doctor and he can make sure her leg will heal right though, but I think it will. I might add you did a good job of setting and splinting in, where did you learn to do that?"

"My father showed me. A boy had an accident on our ranch, and we had to set and splint it to be able to get him to the house. But this was the first time I have actually done it. Mmm." She said as she took a bite of the eggs. "These are good, or it might just be that I was getting a little sick of the sandwiches we were getting in that mine."

"Very funny, Josie. That's my mother's recipe. She used to make them for us every week." Colin replied. "I bet your glad to be out of that mine."

"Oh, yes. I couldn't get any sleep down there after a rat attacked us."

"A rat?" Elizabeth asked, eyes opened wide.

"Yep, and a big one too, almost the size of my cat."

"What did you do?" This came from Emily.

"Killed it with a stick, it took quite a bit though. But the look on Abigail's face was compensation enough when I teased her about it tap dancing on her." Josie chuckled again at the thought.

"You cheeky thing." Elizabeth said as she took a sip of tea from her cup. "But let's talk about things other than giant rats, shall we?" She put the cup down. "Colin, Emily was telling me last night you used to live on a station? I believe that was what she called it. What was it like where you guys were?"

"Yes, we call a ranch a station back home, but it's the same thing. It was mountain country, much like around here. Dad owned lots of cattle and horses, and Rob and I worked on the station with him." Colin replied.

They talked for a while longer, and Josie collected their plates when they had finished, and went and washed them. Then Emily and Elizabeth excused themselves, saying they needed to go into town.

After the two women had left, Colin helped Josie with the last of the dishes and put them away. As Josie was closing one of the draws in the cupboard, and idea came into her head. "Colin?"

"Yes, Josie?"

"I've just had an idea. Since there is a lot of you McGregor's, its going to cost you guys a lot in accommodation. The ranch house would be big enough for all of your family, with room to spare. I need workers, and you guys need a roof over your heads and beds to sleep on. Would you think they would be willing to work at my ranch? I'd pay well and you guys would have a roof over your heads until you decide to move on, if you do decide that is."

Colin was lost for words at her generous offer. "Why, Josie, I don't know what to say."

"Then just say yes."

"Of course you would need to talk to the rest of the family, but I think that it would be a great idea." Colin was about to say more when a knock on the door. "I'll go get it."

"Thanks Colin." Josie replied as she placed the bowl of eggs into the icebox.

Colin went and opened the door. "Dad, have you finished at the mine now?" He asked.

Matt entered the house. "Yes." He yawned. "We cleared and finished timbering the shaft about an hour ago."

Josie gave a little squeal of delight. "Then that means that the widows get to stay in their homes! Oh, where are my manners, I'm Josephine Blackwell. Josie for short."

"Matthew McGregor." He shook Josie's hand. "Matt is what everyone calls me, and you can call me that to. Josie, the Constable asked me to tell you that the Doc will be here this afternoon or tomorrow morning."

"Thankyou for passing that information on to me. I was hoping to speak with you and the rest of the McGregor family and thank you gentlemen for helping get us out."

"Our pleasure, Josie. We were happy to help, although I don't think we'll be going back there in a hurry. That Mr. Gowan made it quite clear to us that we're not welcome there, or in town. So I guess we will have to move on."

Josie tensed up at the mention of Gowan, but she took it in her stride "Oh. I see. Can you at least promise me you guys wont make a final decision until I have had a chance to tell you all my proposition?"

"Alritgh, I promise. Since we have no other plans, would you like to come to the saloon at say, 11 o'clock and tell us of your idea? That's where we are staying for the moment, and we need to go and get cleaned up first."

"Sure. That will be fine. I'll see you again at eleven and I look forward to meeting the rest of the McGregor's. Please excuse me, I need to go and check on Abigail." Josie replied as she left the two men and went upstairs.

"Nice mannered girl, that one." Matt said to Colin after she had left. "She's not Abigail's though, is she?"

Colin shook his head. "No. Josie's an orphan. Abigail has been looking after her for a little while. Her father was killed in the mine explosion, and she also told me that her mother was gone too. Apparently she has no other relatives, and she was quite adamant that she wasn't about to go looking for them either. With some family's I know of, I don't blame her. Her father owned a decent sized ranch she told me, and she's looking for some people to help her run it, but I'll let her tell you the rest later.

"Mmm, interesting. I wonder why she doesn't want to find out if she has any more family."

"Yeh, well, because she is a minor, they have first clam on her father's land, and I don't think she'd like that at all.

"Your probably right there Col. Look, I have to go back to town, everything's alright here?"

"Sure, Dad." Colin looked at the clock. "See you later." He walked his father out, and after Matt had ridden off, he went upstairs to see if Josie or Abigail needed anything. He knock soflty on the door to let them know he was there.

Josie looked up. "Oh, come in Colin. Colin this is Abigail. Abigail, Colin McGregor. His wife, Emily was looking after you last night."

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. McGregor." Abigail said as she shook his hand. "Too bad I'm not up, or I'd offer to make you some breakfast."

"Oh, I've already eaten. Josie helped me make up some for Elizabeth and Emily to. And you can just call me Colin, mam. It'll be easier since there is now five of us mister McGregors in town now." Colin replied as he sat down in the other empty chair.

Abigail was quite surprised. "How many of you McGregor's are there?"

"Eleven. You've meet my wife, Emily, and my Matt and my brother Rob. Those two helped get you out of the mine."

"Yes, I remember them."

"There's also my sister, Danni, my other brother, Michael, Matt's wife Kathleen. Jay and Luke, my cousins and my two children, Josh and Annie."

"That's quite a large family! Where did you guys come from?" Abigail asked as she sat up so she could look at the people she was talking to.

"A little town in Australia called Paterson's Ridge. It's in mountain country. Dad lost the land we worked on and so we all decided to come to Canada and try to claim some land up North." Colin paused, then changed the subject. "Is there a school here?"

"Yes, Miss Thatcher, or Elizabeth is our teacher. The school is held in the saloon since the church burned down. It's the only place big enough to hold all the kids since we don't have a town hall." Abigail explained.

Josie joined the conversation. "I'm sure Danni, Michael, Josh and Annie will be glad to start back at school." She said cheekily.

"No, probably not. But Annie's too young to go yet. She's only a baby."

"How old's the other kids?" Abigail asked.

"Danni's fourteen. Michael's twelve and Josh is eight. Annie is just under a year old. Rob, Luke and Jay are about the same age as me. Danni is very mischievous and cheeky, like you Josie" He teased. "Josh is the same. Michael's the best behaved out of the three of them, and he is quite good with horses."

Josie stood up. "Abigail, do you want me to go and fix you some breakfast?"

"If you like, I am getting quite hungry."

"I'll come help." Colin offered, about to get up.

"No, its fine Colin, I have it all under control." Josie said as she left. "You stay and have a nice little chat."

"She's a really sweet girl." Colin remarked to Abigail.

"Yes, she is." Abigail agreed. "And she's had it harder than most her age. Losing her brother, and both her parents so close together has really taken a toll on her. But it seems weird that she almost has like, forgotten about them. What has she told you?"

"She told me her father died in the mine explosion, and she said her mother was gone as well, but she never mentioned her brother."

"Well, please don't let on that I told you about her brother. If she hasn't told you herself, she could get quite upset about me telling you. Her mother, Georgia died three days before the mine accident. It shook Josie and Luke quite a bit. Then he was taken as well. Josie's been living on her own at their ranch for four months until she came into my care."

"Being out there wouldn't have anything to do with her leg being the way it is, would it?"

"How did you know about that?"

"She woke me up this morning. She slept on the coach last night and I fell asleep in the rocking chair beside the fireplace. She was checking it, but she really doesn't want anyone to find out about it."

"Yes, Josie has always been like that. Keeping things to herself and never wanting to be a bother to anyone. I don't think she gets the fact that people worry about her when they love her. I honestly think she didn't have much of that." Abigail suddenly put her hand over her mouth, wishing she hadn't said that. "Sorry. I should have kept my opinion to myself."

"No, it's okay." Colin said, understanding. "She hasn't said much about them at all. I know that grief is different for everyone, and I know a bit how she feels. My mother died when I was young too, and Dad only got married again two years ago, so I know how hard it is to have something happen like that. I was a bit younger than Josie is though."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Colin." Abigail said with sympathy.

"Its okay now, but it took a long time for me to heal, but going through that has helped me to understand what other people have gone through. But anyway, how did Josie get in a bear trap anyway?" Colin said to change the subject.

"She was out hunting, trying to find something to eat because she was starving. Someone set the trap without putting up a sign that it was there and she walked right on it. Her dog, Lassie, came here and led the Constable and I to her. Josie's been here since, but if you gave her a chance, she'd be straight back out there in a heartbeat, although she did realized she had to stay here because she's been quite sick."

"Why didn't she come to you and ask for help?"

"Josie is normally extremely shy with people she doesn't know, but I can see that she has taken a liking to you, which is good because she needs to start coming out of her shell, and I can see that slowly she is. I think it also was fear that stopped her from coming here. Fear of Mr. Gowan and fear that she'd get sent to an orphanage. As far as I know, she doesn't have anyone else that could come take care of her."

"What's going to happen to her then?"

"So many questions, Colin." Abigail laughed." The Constable has contacted the authorities so that I can be made her guardian and also so that I can take care of the legal side of things with her ranch until she reaches of age. But it depends on what the social worker says."

"Breakfast is ready." Josie said as she came back in and handed the tray to Abigail. "I made up pancakes."

"Thanks, Josie. They smell wonderful." Abigail replied as she dug in.

"You could have made some up for us instead of eggs on toast." Colin teased.

"Well, your not hurt. Abigail is, so she gets special treatment, and Abigail, I made up a few other things to, so you won't have to eat Elizabeth's cooking."

"Thanks, you've saved me from a week of indigestion. The first thing I'll be doing when I get up is give her a few cooking lessons." Abigail giggled. "I've never meet anyone who could make more things into charcoal that Elizabeth has."

Josie and Colin laughed. "I have to go into town today, Abigail. I think Elizabeth will be back by the time I have to leave." Josie said when she had finished her chuckle.

"What are you up to now?"

"Nothing." Josie replied, grinning like the cat that caught the canary.

"Josie." Abigail said sternly.

Josie knew by Abigail's face said without Abigail having to say another word. "Oh, all right. I have some business to attend to. All you need to worry about is getting back on your feet so you can make me those delicious biscuits of yours."

"So, you only want me for my cooking now?" Abigail teased back.

"Mmm, no. But those biscuits are an added bonus to you. Hey!" Josie yelped as she ducked the pillow Abigail chucked at her.

The three of them talked on until Elizabeth returned, carrying a huge armful of books. Colin got up and went over to help her.

"Thanks." Elizabeth said as he took them and placed them on the table. "I was about to drop them."

"What is all this?" Abigail asked as she looked at the books.

"Books, obviously. I brought them up for you to read while I'm downstairs marking papers."

Josie looked at the clock. "Colin, we really need to go get ready to go to town."

"I'll be down in a tick" He replied as Josie hurried down the stairs.

"Keep an eye on her, please. She can be rather headstrong sometimes." Abigail asked worriedly."

"Sure thing, Abigail."

"Thanks for everything, Colin. Getting us out, making friends with Josie and keeping an eye on her."

Colin nodded. "Your welcome Abigail, and I don't mind at all. I can see that Josie is a girl that needs some people to take an interest in her and I can see also that even though she jokes around a lot, she has a mountain of hurt and grief inside her."

"Your right, Colin. I can see it to, but I don't know what the best way to help her is." Abigail sighed. "But how could you see it?"

"I was like her at one time. It took a lot of patience and love on my father's part to help me get through it, but the best thing for Josie is for her to know that people do care about her and that when she needs to talk, they'll be there the help her."

When Colin came downstairs, Josie had already changed her skirt and shirt and was lacing up her boots. "I'll just go say goodbye to Abigail." She said as she got up and put her coat on.

"I'll go and get the horse ready." Colin replied as he grabbed his own coat.

"Great." Josie said as she went up to Abiagil's room.

Colin smiled to himself as he went out the door to the stable round the back. Already he could see so much of his sister in Josie, and he hoped that they would become good friends.