Hey guys! It's your girl, EquestrianIntrovert!

I'm here with chap.10! Now, for the shoutouts.

London: Yes! Joe gets a second chance! Isn't it wonderful!?

Clown Girl: Ya know what, I can't really 'member either, but anyway, Zach and Etta are together on this one!

Welp, that's it for the shoutouts on chap.9. I'm getting these "Go Joe, go Joe" vibes. I love it! My favorite boy character in the Mandie series is Joe, and I think Joe deserves more attention, so, yeh. :}

Anyway, I will detain you no longer. R&R!

Chapter 10

Mandie awoke to the sound of a door being opened. She struggled to open her eyes. The ceiling looked blurry. Mandie inhaled sharply as a headache started, and her head felt like someone was pounding her head. She lay back, and squeezed her eyes shut. Mandie's breathing came out in wheezes. Mandie suddenly felt sweaty, and she took off the blankets on top of her. The draft that consistently came into the room hit her, and she shivered, and quickly put the blankets back on. She became sweaty again, but she left the blankets on, too tired to move. Her mouth was dry, so she swallowed, and again felt the thorns on her throat. She felt terrible. She heard footsteps coming towards her, and a questioning grunt.

"Git up," Etta hissed.

Mandie heard the voice, but couldn't move.

"Git up, you hear?" Etta hissed again.

Mandie moaned.

"Hurry up, Etta, git 'er out here, we cain't have 'er loose, she'll escape," Zach urged, from outside.

Etta came up to Mandie, put a hand on her forehead, and chuckled evilly.

"She ain't goin' nowhere, looks like she got the fever," said Etta, coming out of the room.

"All right then, I'll bring 'er out." Zach grumbled.

Zach took her arm, and jerked her upright.

Mandie gasped as her headache got worse, and the room spun.

Zach pulled her to her feet, and Mandie managed to shuffle along, leaning heavily on Zach's arm.

Mandie managed to grab a blanket, and clung to it.

Zach went outside, and led her across the wet yard towards the barn, and shoved her into a stall, on some scattered hay.

Mandie wheezed heavily at the excursion, and she heard the barn door close, and be locked.

'Fever? I can't have the fever. I had it already. Must be a cold, but colds don't come with fevers. Pneumonia? Oh, no. I can't have pneumonia!' Mandie thought. Tears ran down her cheeks as she thought of what happened to her father. She soon fell asleep, because she was so weak and tired.

(~~~~)

Joe clicked his tongue, and patted his horse's side with his heels. His horse, Colt, broke into a trot, and soon caught up with the others.

John, , and Uncle Ned were stopped, looking at a bush closely.

"Papoose dress. Rip on bush. They go north." said Uncle Ned, pointing northward, and holding up a dark blue piece of cloth.

"We're hot on the trail, men, but it's past lunchtime. Should we sit down and eat first? We could think better on a full stomach," suggested Dr. Woodard.

Uncle Ned nodded.

"Yes, eat first." he agreed.

"I sure would like that," agreed John, getting off his horse.

"Dad, could I take my lunch with me, and go on ahead? The kidnapper might get farther away." Joe said. He was impatient to get to Mandie, alone.

Dr. Woodard looked surprised. It wasn't like his son to miss lunch.

"Sure, your pistol loaded?" asked Dr. Woodard, handing Joe a sandwich, and a water canteen.

Joe nodded, patting his holster.

"Soon my stomach will be too, if I know Aunt Lou," said Joe, giving him a smile.

Dr. Woodard chuckled.

"The horses will be staggering under our weight, after eating, " said Dr. Woodard, suppressing a laugh.

The men laughed.

John walked up to Joe, and talked in a low voice.

"Joe, if anything, don't get your hopes too high. Mandie can be anywhere. I know we found a clue, but they might have only passed through here. If it starts to rain, you high-tail it back home. We'll probably come looking for you, but it would help if you didn't keep getting farther away." John said.

Joe nodded.

John smiled weakly.

"Good. Pray for Mandie's safe return, Joe." said John, patting Colt's rump.

Joe smiled, and nodded.

"Bye, Dad, Mr. Shaw, Uncle Ned," said Joe, giving a respectful nod to each.

"God be with you, son!" called Dr. Woodard, waving as Joe rode away at a lively canter.

"And with you!" called back Joe. He rode at a canter for about twenty minutes, and then slowed Colt down to a walk. Joe cautiously leaned sideways in the saddle, to inspect the ground, when Colt decided to break into a trot, and Joe, who was unsuspecting, was bumped off. Joe fell with a groan, one foot caught in the stirrups. Colt stopped, and waited patiently as Joe unhooked his boot. Joe grabbed Colt's reins, and stooped to pick up his hat, which was a simple cowboy hat that his mother had demanded he take, to not get sunburned.

Joe then inspected the ground closer. There were no tracks. If there were any, the rain had washed them away. Joe sighed, mounted Colt again, and set off at a slow trot.

Another piece of blue cloth on a bush caught Joe's eye.

"Woah, Colt," Joe said. He grabbed the cloth. Yes, it was Mandie's dress.

Joe clicked his tongue, and set Colt off at a steady canter. He was on the right track. Joe noticed that he was heading onto John Shaw's property.

"Mandie's kidnapped on her own property? Or is she lost?" said Joe to himself, frowning.

Then Joe heard a rumble overhead. Joe looked up, and saw the sky growing dark, by the clouds.

"Durn!" Joe muttered, and thought for a moment.

It was not raining yet. He could go on some more.

Joe pushed Colt into a fast canter. Then a few drops fell. Joe let out a gusty sigh, and turned back.

(~~~~)

Mandie's stomach flopped over. Mandie sat up quickly, and gagged. She wanted to vomit, but her stomach was empty. Mandie swallowed. The thorns didn't poke as much, but her throat was still painful. Mandie's mouth was dry. Her throat was parched. Mandie reluctantly brought out the biscuits and ham in her pocket and chewed it slowly, and swallowed. The juicy ham put some moisture in her mouth, but it was like a few drops in a dry bucket. Mandie sat up, and leaned against the wall and thought.

'Why did Zach and Etta kidnap me? Why were they even in Franklin? Is uncle John looking for me? Have they told Joe?' Mandie thought. She hoped they were looking for her. And she hoped that Joe was told, too.

(~~~~)

"What are we gonna do with 'er?" asked Etta.

Zach and Etta sat at the table, eating biscuits.

"Ask fer money. Let's say we won't give 'er back 'til they give us, say two thousand fer each of us?" grumbled Zach.

" 'er rich uncle has the money, but what if 'e calls the sheriff?" demanded Etta.

"Probably already has, but they ain't never gonna guess we hidin' on his own property. We'll jest tell 'em to send the money." said Zach.

"What if they come with the money? I don't wanna git caught up with the law," insisted Etta.

"Oh, you ask too many durned questions, woman. Iffen you don't wanta be here, or git the money, then you can jest git back to where you came from," said Zach, writing slowly on a piece of paper.

Etta sighed, and took a gulp of liquor.

"I reckon Irene'll take me, once I git the money," mumbled Etta to herself.

Zach continued to write, and folded up the note, put it into an envelope, and then got up.

"I'm gonna git the hosses and send the letter. You make sure Mandie don't escape." muttered Zach, closing the door behind him.

Etta nodded sullenly.

(~~~~)

Joe came to the stables on John Shaw's land, and put Colt in a stall. He untacked Colt, groomed him thoroughly, and put fresh hay and water in the feed and water trough.

Joe went into the house, hung up his coat and hat, and entered the parlor.

Jonathan, Janice, Robert, Celia, Dimar, Sallie, Mr. and Mrs. Morton, Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, Mr. and Mrs. Woodard, Uncle Ned and Morning Star, Uncle Wirt and his wife, and T'sani were there.

"Johnathan, Janice, Celia, Robert, Sallie, Dimar, T'sani, Senator Morton, Mrs. Morton," Joe said, as he shook their hands.

Joe noticed that Mrs. Morton's cheeks were pink after being called 'Mrs. Morton'.

Everyone was solemn, and began to talk about Mandie's disappearance.

Celia, Sallie, and Johnathan gathered around Joe, followed by their spouses, and eventually T'sani.

Joe seemed to be deep in thought, so they left him alone, staying near him, but talking amongst themselves.

Celia noticed, and knew what he was thinking of.

She put a sisterly hand on his shoulder.

"Joe? I know you are thinking of Mandie." began Celia, speaking quietly as to not let the other's hear.

Joe looked up, and blushed slightly.

"Yes, I am," he admitted.

"I just want to let you know that, Mandie wants to give you a different answer. She's shy about it though, so it might take awhile for her to tell you. Or maybe you should ask her again, when we find her. But don't be too busy. Pay attention to her, and no matter what, don't let her doubt her answer, for any reason." said Celia, dropping her hand to her side.

Joe squeezed Celia's hand quickly.

"Thanks for the advice. I won't leave without Mandie again." Joe said, giving her a small smile.

Celia smiled also, and turned back to the conversation.

T'sani slowly edged his way towards Joe.

"I hear my cousin is missing." said T'sani slowly, wanting to make conversation.

"Yes. Mandie is missing. The sheriff says she was kidnapped." Joe said.

T'sani nodded.

"I love my cousin as my sister. We are all brothers, all made by Big God." said T'sani quietly.

Joe turned to look at T'sani in astonishment.

"T'sani? You believe in God?" Joe asked.

T'sani nodded, tears starting to fill his eyes.

"Yes. I was very wrong. I did not go to the ball because I felt hate. But now I know that God loves all who obey him, and people who hate each other, hate God, and go to must love our brothers, to love God. Forgive me, brother?" asked T'sani, tears in his voice.

Joe hugged T'sani.

"Yes, brother," said Joe, with a smile.

T'sani smiled, and then walked towards the group to join in conversation.

"Thank God," Joe said to himself.

T'sani's eyes had been opened to God's love, and wanted to share that irreplaceable joy, and love with others.

'Mandie would be very happy, if she were here. God, if you can turn someone's hatred into love, can you help us find Mandie, if it be your will?' Joe prayed.

Well, How'd ya like it?Like always, review review! Also, if you made it this far, here is the question of the chappie: WHAT IS A GOOD SONG FOR EITHER JOE OR MANDIE? Bonus points if it's an 80's song! And extra bonus if it's Bryan Adams!

Anyway, until the next Chappie!

~EquestrianIntrovert