Hello again! Here's another chapter. By the way, does anyone remember if/when Joe's middle name is mentioned? Please PM or comment if you do.

Celia, heart pounding against her chest, glanced back at the stretch of road behind her. The guard was nowhere in sight. With a sigh of relief she rested a moment, and then urged the horse onward. In a few minutes she reached a larger, more-traveled road. To her right was a large farmhouse, the windows glowing merrily. A barn stood nearby. Celia directed the horse towards it. She could hear music as she made her way over to the house and peered in through a window.

A middle-aged woman sat in a chair beside the fire, knitting busily. Near her sat a man of about the same age, playing a guitar. Three young men, who looked to be in their late teens or early twenties, were ranged around the room. One leaned against the mantle, another sat in a chair, and the third sprawled on the floor. All were singing, and Celia paused to listen.

Hail the Heav'n-born Prince of Peace—

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Ris'n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die.

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

Hark! The herald angels sing,

Glory to the newborn King.

A lump rose in Celia's throat. She walked around to the front door and knocked. The music ceased, and steps approached. The woman opened the door. She stared at Celia and blinked in amazement.

"Who might you be, young lady?" she asked.

"I'm Celia Hamilton." the girl said shyly.

The woman drew her inside and shut the door. "Come in, child." She said, motioning Celia into the glowing circle of firelight. "What brings you here on such a cold night? and alone?" the motherly woman took Celia's coat and brought her a steaming cup of coffee.

Celia wrapped her cold fingers around the steaming mug and swallowed nervously. "It's a long story. I was really hoping to find a telephone to use."

"We don't have them new-fangled contraptions out here yet." the mother said, sitting down and taking up her knitting. "I'm Elvira Johnson. This here's my husband, Jacob, and three of our boys, Jem, Jesse and Jason. Jed—our oldest— he's not here right now."

The three boys nodded sociably as they were introduced, and Celia smiled at them. "I'm pleased to meet you." she paused. "I know this might not sound credible, Mr. Johnson," she began cautiously, "but the reason I'm here is that my friends and I were abducted by some men dressed in black this morning. The men are holding my friends in a cabin near here."

There was a stunned silence as Mrs Johnson froze and the three boys' gazes riveted on Celia. Mr. Johnson's fingers stilled, and he stared at the girl. "What?"

Celia rushed on. "I need to place a call for help, and I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd point me in the direction of the nearest telephone, so that I can contact the sheriff. "

"Jesse," The woman said to one of her sons, who leaped to his feet. "Go get Jed. He's at Minnie's"

"Yes'm." the boy said, and disappeared, slamming the back door in his haste.

Celia stared after him. Why is he going to get his brother? she wondered.

As if she had read the girl's mind, Elivira Johnson spoke. "Jed, he's twenty-five an' courtin a girl two farms over. He's been hankerin' to be a sheriff since he was a little shaver. Last year when Sheriff Manning asked if Jed would like to be his deputy, Jed jumped at the chance. He can take care of any problems in regard to the law."

Celia stared at her in astonishment. The home of a lawman, of all things! "Your son's a deputy? He can arrest the men who have my friends?"

Mrs. Johnson nodded. "I don't see why not. Didn't you just say they kidnapped you?"

"Yes."

"Then Jed can arrest them." Mrs. Johnson stated, smiling at Celia.

The quiet Mr. Johnson cleared his throat and joined the conversation. "Why don't you start at the beginning, Miss, and tell us all about it?" His guitar lay idle on his lap, one hand rested lovingly across the strings.

Celia swallowed, looked around at the four pairs of interested eyes, and plunged into her story.

O'Brien sauntered over to the stove and poured himself a cup of coffee. He turned and studied Joe and Mandie for a moment, sipping the hot liquid.

"An' ye're a foolish lad, ye are." he shook his head at Joe and sat down.

Joe glanced up, curious.

"What you've gone an' done—the most foolish thing a lad can do." O'Brien shook his head slowly.

Joe stared at him in bewilderment. "What have I done?"

"Ye've gone an' fallen in love with a fair lass, o' course." O' Brien scolded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. (Perhaps it was.)

Mandie stared at Joe, her mouth hanging open. Joe caught her glance and then looked away in embarrassment as his ears turned red.

"I've seen it many a time, I have." the guard continued. "'Tis the worst disease on earth!" he took a long drink of coffee.

Mandie face slowly turned pink as the man continued.

"But t' worst bit o' foolishness yet, lad—" O'Brien shook a finger at Joe. "Is that ye've let others see how much ye love her. Bad business, 'tis. A man canna' be threatened when he's on his own, but when he's love-struck, all Boss has to do is threaten the lass."

Joe's ears were the color of tomatoes by then.

O'Brien eased himself into the Boss's chair and appropriated the desk as a footrest. He brazenly lifted a cigar from the case on the desk and lit it. "Now," he said, waving the smoking cigar at Joe for emphasis, "I be thinkin' 'tis best for a man t' stay unattached. No one left behind if 'e kicks the bucket sudden-like."

The door flew open so forcefully that it bounced against the wall. Mandie and Joe glanced up, their embarrassment forgotten in apprehension. Mandie's heart thumped against her chest as the Boss stepped into the room and looked around.

"What is the meaning of this, O'Brien?" he demanded.

O'Brien had nervously leaped to his feet, slopping his coffee as he tried to hide the telltale cigar. "Well, sir, they tried t' escape—they did escape, but Smith got 'em— and t' redhead got away and Smith is after 'er—" O'Brien hurriedly poured out this somewhat mixed-up account.

The Boss interrupted. "Where is Smith now?"

O'Brien squirmed. "He's n-not returned, sir."

The Boss's cold gaze swerved from O'Brien and riveted on Mandie. "Very well." he drew a knife and approached her. She froze and her eyes grew wide. The man bent over and cut the ropes that secured her to the chair. He jerked her roughly to her feet and tied her hands securely in front of her, then he grabbed Mandie's arm and marched her towards the door.

"Where are you taking her?" Joe exclaimed, straining forward. His face was a mixture of anger and concern, apprehension and anguish.

Mandie looked back. She could read concern in Joe's gaze. He had always protected her before, but now he couldn't. Mandie's throat felt tight. The Boss turned calmly. "I told you that she would pay for any mischief you caused. That is all you need to know."

Joe opened his mouth to speak, his eyes flashing in anger, but the Boss raised the knife towards Mandie's throat. The tip of the blade touched her skin, and she drew back with a sharp intake of breath. Joe clamped his mouth shut.

"No more." the Boss warned. He lowered the knife, and his gaze switched to O'Brien. "I'll see you outside." O'Brien shifted nervously and set his half-full coffee cup on the desk. Mandie glanced back in time to lock gazes with Joe. The tortured look in his eyes made a lump rise in her throat. She gave him a weak smile before the door slammed.

Celia glanced up as Jesse, along with a slightly taller young man, entered the room. "You must be Miss Hamilton." the taller said, politely shaking Celia's hand. "I'm Jed, deputy sheriff. You say these men have your friends near here?"

Celia nodded.

"And they forcibly abducted you?"

She nodded again.

"Well, Pa," the young man turned to his father. "Wanta go round 'em up?"

Celia looked from Jed to his father.

"Yep. That's why we sent Jesse arter ya." Mr. Johnson stood and looked at the younger boys. "Comin'?"

Jem and Jesse and Jason nodded.

The five left the house and a few minutes later Celia, who was watching from the window, saw them ride away. She sighed and paced back and forth. What if they've already taken Mandie and Joe somewhere else? she worried. The only sounds as she paced were the steady clicking of Mrs. Johnson's knitting needles and the crackling of the fire.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Now who could that be?" Mrs. Johnson wondered aloud, as she set aside her knitting and rose to answer it. Celia paused to listen, and she heard a familiar voice asking:

"Excuse me, ma'am, but did you by any chance see three men drive by here this afternoon?"

Before Mrs. Johnson could open her mouth to reply, Celia slipped past and threw herself into Robert's arms.

Stunned, the young man held her close. "Celia." he murmured, relief in his tones.

I hope ya'll are enjoying this. I'll try to update soon!

~c1405