Ben dropped another arm full of gold into the wagon and sighed heavily.
"What's the matter old man? Tired?" Manson sneered. "You could always take a break ya know. But then, I don't think this here boy could afford it…he's already out…" Manson laughed as he jostled Joe violently.
Ben glared at the man who tormented his son. He tried to stand firm, to challenge the nightmare that had entered his and his family's life. But he found that instead of putting fear into the man, the man was putting fear into him. His eyes, the man's ice blue eyes were a void of all emotions and yet held so many emotions all at once. They were pits, bottomless pits of hatred and anger, of two-timing and sadism. Yet, somewhere, deep inside them, there was hurt and sorrow, pain and heartache. The remainder of a child and youth who had lived a hard life, or a man who had finally given up his fight of right and wrong. Whatever were in those eyes, whatever made them so cold, they would follow Ben for the rest of his life.
Ben felt a shiver slid down his spin, but his bull-headed stubbornness refused to let him look away from the man. They stood like that for a minuet, the only sound Joe's haggard breathing. Finally Manson roared his head back with an evil laugh startling Ben and causing Joe to whimper slightly.
In an instintManson had grown cooled and completely focused on Ben, no sign of the abrupt laughter as he leveled his gun at Ben and fired.
Willy and Hoss were leading the way up the mountain path. Carefully searching for any signs of Joe, Ben, or the man who took him as well as any sign of danger. They were booth adamant about not missing anything, least one of their members be harmed. Willy had taken point, his sharp eyes and knowledge of the land making him the perfect choice. Hoss took the second position, knowing that he would pick up anything Willy would miss. Adam followed Hoss and Roy brought up the rear.
The four men had been riding for hours with out any luck. They were tired, saddle sour, and disheartened. It seemed that they had be wondering aimlessly and now the need for rest and the over whelming feeling of dread was taking over when Willy suddenly stopped.
"Dang gon' it Willy! Give a fella some warnin' next time…" Hoss muttered as Chubb startled slightly.
"Shhhsshhh…did ya' hear that?" was the ranch hand's only reply.
"Here what?" Adam asked pulling up next to them.
"That popping sound, listen…" Willy said intently.
The four men were silent for what seemed like hours, all straining to here what Willy had. But there was nothing, not even the cry of an owl.
"I could have sworn I heard somethin'…" Willy grumbled as he tried to concentrate on the noise. "It sounded like a pop, like fire works, only really far aways." Willy seemed to be thinking for a minuet, eyes closed, head slanted, until he finally reached a verdict and headed off to the east. "Come on ya'all I got me a hunch."
Ben stumbled back, falling as he did so, clutching his left arm. It was a graze, only a graze; a warning shot that was suppose to startle him. It had done one hell of a job.
"That was a warning old man. Whatever you're planning, forget it. Remember that your boy here's fighting for his life, and I can give death the upper hand in a second," Manson growled.
Ben sent the man a glare as he started to get to his feet. But before he stood he secretly deposited a stick of dynamite by the wagon's wheel.