"Now miss, you are probably a very nice girl and all. But you wouldn't want to marry me, I'm an outlaw, and have some bad habits." Heyes hoped that she would tell her father to let him go, though he doubted it.

"Hannibal, I don't expect you to be perfect. You see Father thinks it time I settle down and give him some grand children." Heyes started coughing and looked like he was choking.

"Why don't we go for a walk just the two of us, get to know one another first." He smiled, but his lady killer smile was not up to his usual standards. The pain in his side was growing worse, and he felt cold and then hot.

"Now Hannibal we have plenty of time for that after we get married. The preacher will be here in the morning. You won't have to worry about going to jail now, and you will be safe here." Heyes watched her face, so innocent and sweet, for a crocodile he thought. Her father sat at his desk and watched them. He had to get to the Kid, he had to know.

The girl got down on her knees beside him, and pulled his shirt out of his pants and then pulled it up so she could see his wound, and frowned. She poked at it, and Heyes jumped. She looked up at him and their eyes met, and he saw concern there.

"I am sorry, Hannibal, I never wanted you hurt. I'll make you a good wife."

"I am sure you would Jennifer, but I am not ready. I like to court a lady, read her poetry and go on picnics and I like to do the askin."

Her father got up and left the room, and left them alone. Heyes was sure the guard was right outside the door. "I am sorry Hannibal, I never meant for this to happen. It is true I wanted to meet you again, and I had hopes you would care for me. Father decided al this." Her voice was quiet and her eyes asked him to understand. "My father always gets what he wants."

"Do you?"

"Only if it's what Father wants."

"Help me get out of here Jennifer. My partner is out in the desert, left for dead by your father's men. I have to find him." Jennifer could see the anguish in his dark expressive eyes. She loved him, and knew she always would. She did not find the love in his eyes when he looked at her.

"If I do, Father will punish me, he will beat me. I thought if I said you when he asked, he would forget the idea of making me get married."

"Then you don't want to marry me?" His face was covered in sweat, and he was shivering. He was growing light headed, and he thought he might pass out soon. He had to get her to help him.

"I do, I want you to love me. Could you ever love me?" Heyes looked at her, seeing her hopeful look and he wanted to help her. He felt protective of her.

"I might have had we met in different circumstances. But I don't like being forced, and you can't force love."

Just then, her father came back in, and with him two of his men. They untied Heyes, lifted him from the chair, and carried him out of the room. Jennifer looked at her father, as the men headed for the stairs.

"The doctor is here, and waiting in the blue room. You get some rest; you have a big day tomorrow. Jennifer went out into the hall and then up the stairs. She had some thinking to do.

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Kid Curry had stopped for a few hours rest. He drank some water and ate some jerky while his horse rested. He saw the lights from the ranch up ahead. He figured that was where they had taken Heyes. He was determined, to rescue his cousin tonight. He had a splitting headache. He could hear the cows in the pasture nearby, and the owl in the tree.

He feared he would arrive too late, that Heyes had bled to death while he lay over the horse. He did not make a campfire, no use letting them know he was alive and coming for them.

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