Mark was having an animated conversation with Hattie when his father and Micah came in. "Pa, Hattie has paprika! She's always had it."

"Is that so?" Luke grinned at the storekeeper. "You've been holding out on me."

"Well, how was I supposed to know you season your food?" Hattie shook her head. "It's all I can do to get you to buy greens."

Luke chuckled. "All right, Hattie, here's the list. You can add a big bag of greens and a pound of paprika."

"A pound! That's enough to last you the rest of your life!"

"Not the way Anyata uses it."

The storekeeper shook her head. "I've never had gypsy cooking. It must be hot enough to fry a horseshoe."

Mark said, "It's hot but it's real good. You should come out to the ranch and try it."

"I may just do that," said Hattie kindly. She looked directly at Luke. "The way folks have been acting it might do them good to see somebody from town treating your guests with a little more consideration."

"Hattie..." Luke struggled for words, then bent over and kissed the storekeeper's cheek.

Doc Burrage came in. "Hattie, do you have eucalyptus bark?"

"The Hamilton baby?"

Burrage nodded. "She's over at the office now. The poor little thing can barely breathe." Luke and Micah looked concerned and the doctor elaborated. "Croup."

"Croup!" Luke raised his eyebrows. "Mark had croup twice. It was no picnic but it wasn't serious."

"Usually it isn't," said Burrage uneasily. "Sarah just seems unusually susceptible to it. I want to try steam with eucalyptus in it."

"Here, Doc." Hattie brought a bundle of bark.

"Thanks. Put it on my tab?"

"Of course."

Burrage nodded to the others and hurried out. Luke followed him, Mark at his heels. They could hear the terrible barking cough of the baby before Burrage even opened the door to his office. Mrs Hamilton was bent over the exam table, so intent on her child she didn't hear them come in.

Mark took one look and grabbed Luke's hand. Little Sarah was coughing so hard her whole body shook, her tiny hands waving as if trying to catch the air she couldn't get into her lungs. Doc Burrage listened to her chest with his stethoscope and shook his head. "Let's try the eucalyptus bark."

Mrs Hamilton patted her daughter with trembling hands, sobbing, "Do you really think that will help?"

The baby started coughing again, her face turning blue, and Luke's hand tightened on Mark's.

The boy winced. "Pa, you're hurting me!"

"I'm sorry, son." The big man relaxed his grip.

Mark stared at the suffering baby, then tugged on his father's sleeve."What about Miss Anyata?"

Luke frowned. "What about her?"

"Well, you said a healer is like a doctor. Maybe she can help."

Burrage was listening to the exchange between father and son and now he said sadly, "Lucas, if you know someone who can save this baby…"

The big man hesitated. "Do you want to try gypsy medicine?"

Mrs Hamilton scooped up her child and brought her to Luke. "Mr McCain, I'll try anything! Please!"

He took the baby and headed out the door. "Mark, bring Doc and Mrs Hamilton in the buckboard." Micah was right outside and Luke said urgently, "I need a horse."

"Take mine." The marshal hurried to get his horse and held the baby while Luke swung up into the saddle. Micah handed Sarah up and someone in the street yelled, "Where are you taking that baby, McCain?"

Luke held the baby close as he kicked his horse to a full gallop. Undaunted, others took up the cry as Mark pulled up the buckboard and Burrage climbed in and pulled Mrs Hamilton up beside him. Angry voices hummed around them but the boy ignored them all, whipping up the horses and following his father back out to the ranch.