Little girl raised her head and looked at him; Adam's heart skipped a beat.

This was the little child he had been dreaming about. His heart called out to her, all he wanted to was hold her and tell her everything was going to alright.

"Bad man?" asked the little girl.

"No, sweetheart, I'm not a bad man." He started towards her but she coward back with fear. Adam stopped when she started to cry but her cries turn into a hard cough. Adam ran to her side bringing his canteen with him, he patted and rubbed her back until the cough passed.

He took the lid of his canteen and held it up to the little girl's mouth, "Here sweetheart, drink some water." The little girl gladly accepted the drink.

"I don't feel good." The little girl whispered, Adam felt her forehead she was burning up.

"I'm cold." Adam took off his jacket and wrapped her up in it.

Adam stood up and picked the little girl.

"Sweetheart, you are going to be safe now. I'm going to take you with me and help you to get better okay. Now sweetie, will you tell me was that man and woman your parents?"

She shook her head no, "That was my aunt and uncle, I have no parents. We were going to Virginia City, my aunt was going to be the new teacher there and my uncle was a writer."

"Okay sweetie, I hate for you to have to see this but we need to go back to the camp. I need to bury your aunt and uncle; you don't have to look, you can close your eyes."

Adam carried the child and lead Sport back to the camp. He walked to the far side of the camp farthest away from the bodies; he sat the little girl down and noticed her eyes where shut. He tied Sport to a bush and then untied the blanket on the back of the saddle.

"I am going to lay a blanket on the ground, sweetie, why don't you take a nap? I will wake you when I'm done and then we will go back to my cabin. Sweetheart what is your name?"

"Samantha."

"Samantha, what a beautiful name, okay, you just rest sweetie." Adam said picking her up and laying her down on the blanket. He made sure she was well wrapped up in his jacket before he went to bury the bodies.

An hour later, Adam was finished burying the bodies. He used some of the water in the canteen to clean up before waking Samantha.

"Samantha, sweetie, wake up." He nudged her softly, "You can open your eyes now."

She opened her eyes and reached out for him. He picked her up and she laid her head on his shoulder. Adam's heart filled with love for this child he now held in his arms.

Samantha started to coughed again. "Don't feel good."

"Okay, sweetheart, I going to put you on my horse then I am going to get on." Adam put her on his horse; the he bent down and picked up the blanket. After grabbing the blanket, he untied and mounted his horse. Adam wrapped the blanket around the child, and then started to head towards the cabin. Samantha leaned back and rested her head against Adam chest, and let the rhythm of the moving horse send her into a light slumber.

Back at the cabin, Adam, had gotten Samantha cleaned up and into bed. Her dress and her under garments were ruined, Adam throw them out and dressed her in one of his button up shirts. The shirt went to her feet and the arms were too long which caused Adam to have to roll the sleeves up. Now the little girl was resting peacefully in the bed while Adam made her some broth.

"Samantha, sweetheart, wake up, need you to drink some of this broth."

Samantha drank the broth he brought her and started to feel much better.

"Feeling better?" asked Adam while he felt her forehead she still had a slight fever.

Samantha shook her head yes, "Can I have something else to eat?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart." Adam made to leave but then a question hit him. "Samantha, how old are you?"

Samantha held up three figures. "My birthday is soon."

"O, and when is that?" He asked.

"November first."

"Well that's just around the corner. Now would you like something else to eat?"

Samantha nodded her head yes. Adam left the room and headed to the kitchen to make something to eat for the both of them. While he was in the kitchen another storm developed and the thunder shook the cabin.

"Adam!" Samantha yelled as she ran into the kitchen and grabbed hold of Adam's legs.

Adam bent down and took the frighten child in his arms, held her tight and rubbed her back. Samantha laid her head on Adam's shoulder and cried.

"It's ok, Sweetheart, I'm here nothing is going to harm while I'm around."