Please see Chapter 1 for warnings and disclaimers.

"Don't know if I can do this again."

"So, there's suddenly 'nother option?"

Exhaling deeply, the gunman took another drink. "No, guess there isn't." …….

............"Mary helped put together some letters from the townsfolk. I wrote up how I heard Eli Joe confess to the murder before he died and the Judge certified that as a deposition from a local lawman. Added his own accommodation as well and sent it all off to the Governor of Texas, asking for a pardon."

The sharpshooter was overwhelmed. Whether or not his name was cleared, it meant a great deal to him that his friends had gone to such great lengths. What he couldn't say in words, Chris was able to read in the younger man's blue eyes.

***

Chapter 5

As was his habit, Chris met Torie at her bedroom door before breakfast and he wasn't terribly surprised to find the contrite little angel gone. Her resolute silence spoke louder than words to the seasoned gunfighter. Luckily he could replay the whispered, "Bon nuit, papa," from last night over in his head, and ignore the defiant stance his daughter chose to adopt this morning.

Much as she had suspected, Torie could still feel discomfort from last nights' encounter with her father's belt and she was far from happy. Now that all was said and done, she had rediscovered the anger and rebellion, which had evaded her last night. Having awakened early, she had had plenty of time to recount the dreadful night of her mother's death over and over in her mind. This provided all the stimulus needed for her to retreat into her shell of self righteous rage.

Upon sitting down for breakfast, Chris decided there were a few things that needed to be discussed. He started with those that proved to be the least volatile with his daughter.

"Vin used to be a bounty hunter. He was going after a killer by the name of Eli Jo when he found the man dead. Took him in, but it turns out Eli Jo was the shooter not the dead man, so Vin was charged with murder. We're tryin' to see his name cleared. Kind of hoping that a plan we have will at least buy us some time while we do that." The girl took in the information pleased that her father wasn't discussing certain other events from yesterday.

"Vin's a good friend Torie, more like a brother, really. Thank you for helping him yesterday."

To say the girl was surprised would be an understatement. She was quite literally speechless.

"That isn't to say that much you did yesterday was commendable," he added. "You do owe Ezra and JD an apology and it wouldn't hurt to ask 'em if you could do somethin' to make amends."

The girls' green eyes narrowed into a glower as she took another bite of the pancakes.

Chris was observant enough to note her reaction, but he had no intention making light of her actions yesterday so he did not comment further. Instead he briefly outlined the plan for the mock gunfight, resulting in Vin's supposed death so that the girl would understand and not be too taken aback by today's events.

"I want you to stay outta the way while all this is going on, just to be on the safe side so you'll be stayin' with Mary and Josiah at Mary's. And you will be staying with Josiah," Chris stated ominously. The girl rolled her eyes theatrically, a habit Chris was quickly learning to dislike.

After breakfast they headed over to the Clarion where Mary was busy setting type. She wiped her hands and took off her apron, offering a smile as the two entered.

"Josiah was over earlier," she said, "He explained a few things, though I still have a question or two." She looked pointedly at Chris and he sighed. "Torie, have you ever seen a stereograph viewer?" Mary asked, moving to pick up a wooden contraption with eyepieces that faced toward a picture at the end of a connected stick.

"No, mam."

"Perhaps you would like to look at these pictures while I speak with your father."

"Yes, mam."

Chris followed Mary to the far end of the newspaper office, making certain he was between Torie and the exit.

"Would you like to explain to me why your daughter was locked in a jail cell yesterday?" Mary demanded in an angry whisper.

The blond peacekeeper held his temper, though he desperately wanted to simply tell the woman, 'No,' and walk out the door. Removing his hat he ran his hand through his hair. "First night she was here she jumped out of a second story window into a tree and nearly broke her neck. She has it in her head that she's going after the men that killed her Mama and that nothing is gonna stop her," he explained quietly. "She's not exactly your average twelve year old girl, Mary. She's got more anger, spit, and fire than some Comanche's I've met. I'm just tryin' to keep her safe until I can make her see reason."

Mary's eyes grew wide at Chris's explanation. "Did she really see her mother killed?"

"Afraid so. She's not willing to talk about it though."

Mary laid her hand on Chris's arm, "You'll get through to her. You got through to Billy." Her voice held a confidence that Chris didn't feel.

"I hope so."

"Does she have anything to wear other than those trousers?" Mary asked smiling now, trying to lighten the mood. "The Spring Social is on Saturday night. She might feel a bit out of place in trousers."

Chris looked at Mary blankly. That was quite honestly one of the furthest things from his head. "Ah, I don't rightly know."

"Maybe after today's excitement I can take her to buy a dress," Mary offered.

"I'd appreciate that," Chris answered giving Mary a smile, pleased now that he'd held his temper earlier. "Hope this isn't too fancy of a party. Wasn't plannin' on doing any shopping for myself," he quipped.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," she said after giving him a playfully apprising look.

Chris was about to say something else but Josiah came through the door before he did. Mary felt like stomping her foot in frustration. They never seemed to have more than a few moments of privacy, or even semi-privacy as in this case. Pasting on a smile she turned to greet the large man.

***

"I don't need a dress. My trunk should get here sometime soon, and I've more than enough of them in there," Torie insisted later that day, when Chris told her of Mary's offer. Their plan had worked well. Vin was "dead and buried," and the bounty hunters sent on their way. Vin was staying out at Nettie's for the night just to be on the safe side.

"Might not be before Saturday, though, and there's a community dance," Chris explained.

"Do you really think I care? I told you I don't need another dress," Torie said emphatically.

"You'll mind yer tone little girl, or you'll not like the consequences," Chris warned. "We've a few days anyway so we can wait a bit to make the decision." He held up his hand when he saw Torie preparing to argue further. "Enough said." She treated him to yet another expressive eye roll.

"Can I go look at the horses?" she asked. She loved going to livery stable and Chris had to admit somehow she had inherited his love for the animals.

"You finished Ezra's boots?"

The girl wrinkled her nose. As recompense for her actions the day before Ezra had suggested that his boots could use a good polish and shine. JD had accepted her apology and required nothing more than that she promise not to touch his guns again. "No sir."

"You let me know when you do and we'll walk down."

With a heavy sigh, she moved to obey. Once again, she was reminded how dramatically life had changed for her. As she rubbed the boots with the soft cloth she considered how she was ever going to get away to find the men that killed her mother. One thing she knew for sure, it was going to be awhile before she would have another opportunity.

It was evening, nearly dinnertime, when they made it down to the livery. Chris greeted Yosemite and Torie went straight for the corral. There was only one horse out this evening, but a new one. He was amazing. A spirited gray, probably only three years old, he was small to mid-sized but perfectly proportioned. It was his eyes that really held her attention, though. Stormy and untamed, they seemed to speak to her of freedom and she felt a kind of kinship with him.

Before she could climb the fence to get closer, she was called away. Chris explained that the horse was untamed and she should keep her distance. With a longing look back she came away and heard Yosemite tell Chris that he'd taken the horse as trade for a job but was considering letting it loose or possibly trying to trade it to the Indians. The beast was just too wild.

The next day Torie's trunk arrived. It held the rest of her clothing and a few items from her previous life. Her mother's things were in yet another trunk that had not yet been shipped. She fumed when Chris insisted on searching the trunk before allowing her to put her things away.

"I told you there was no weapons in it," the girl sniped with a glower.

"Well, you haven't exactly proven yourself trustworthy," Chris replied evenly. That earned him another of her eye rolls. The girl's attitude was getting old really fast, and though he had promised himself he would give her a least a week to settle in before addressing that, Chris was having second thoughts. "Guess you won't need to buy a dress for the social," he noted pointing to a couple of frilly gowns her mother had insisted upon. They were practically new, as Torie preferred trousers.

Not offering a verbal response, Torie made a face, which more than got the point across. She pulled out some of the books and moved to set them on the little desk. Chris picked up a picture of Ysebella holding Torie when the girl was no more than two years old.

"She really was a beautiful woman," he commented. "Had the sweetest voice I'd ever heard."

Torie's jaw tightened and she swallowed hard. It hurt to think about Mama. If she closed her eyes she could see the gorgeous face framed by the most lovely hair, the varied color of the strands yielding a golden brown hue. Soft hazel eyes were always so full of love, except for that last night. Then those eyes had been filled with pain and fear. Torie threw the book she was holding against the wall.

"Torie," Chris said gently, reaching for the girl.

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed, moving purposefully away from him and trying her best not to cry.

Chris nodded, unsure exactly what to do. He backed away and whispered, "If you want to talk, I'm here." Much to the girl's frustration he moved the wooden desk chair to the window and turning it around straddled it. Though his presence was unnerving, she tried to ignore him.

With a huff she moved to finish putting her things away. Some things went into the wardrobe others she just set back into the trunk. When she picked up the picture Chris had set down, her breath caught. Ysebella had been so very beautiful.

"They thought I was dead," she whispered. "The one in charge was so mad because he thought the other one had killed me and he wanted to use me to make her tell."

"Tell, what Torie?" Chris asked softly.

She shook her head sadly, but didn't answer. Running her hand gently over the picture, Torie set it beside her bed. Without another word she finished settling her things. With a cheerless smile she lifted a well-used slingshot from the trunk.

"You must have missed this," she said wryly.

The gunman grinned. "I reckon you can hold onto it so long as you promise not to cause any trouble."

"When I was six, Mama wanted to get me a pretty china doll, but I begged to have this instead. Once when I was eight, I broke a great big shop window with it. Don't know what made the shop owner madder. Me breaking the window or Mama laughing about it. She paid him of course, and he was kinda sweet on her so it all blew over without too much fuss."

"She laughed?"

"Well, the shop owner had gotten in some fancy new guns so he dressed up this dummy like a gunman and set a shiny Colt in it's hand as a display. Had a sign that said, 'Come in and take your best shot.' That's exactly what I did. Who would have thought it would break the whole dang window."

Chris couldn't help, but laugh. "Guess you lost that slingshot for awhile after that."

Torie looked at her father, her green eyes curious, "Why?"

"Didn't your Mama take it away for a spell?"

"No."

"Did she do anything at all, besides laugh?" he asked with some exasperation.

"Sure," the girl shrugged. "She talked to me about how dangerous it could be and how I needed to be more careful or someone might get hurt."

Chris shook his head. Ysebella had been a sweet and giving woman, but he could not believe how she had let their daughter ride roughshod, apparently over all of New Orleans. "I'll tell you right now, you use it in that manner here and not only will you lose it, but you'll be standing for your next meal. Understand?"

Once again he was treated to an eye roll of her expressive green eyes, "Yes, sir."

***

The following day, Vin agreed to take Torie over to the livery while Chris was out on patrol. He and Yosemite visited, the large blacksmith asking Vin if he thought the Indians might be willing to make a trade for the wild horse out in the coral. Torie walked through the stable visiting the various animals inside and casting sly glances back at Vin and Yosemite. She casually headed back to the coral, drawing closer and closer to the gray horse.

Looking back she could still see Vin, which meant theoretically at least that she was still within eyesight. She drew closer to the horse. He pranced around a bit, but she had come prepared and opened her hand, which held two sugar cubes. Slowly, cautiously the animal came forward, finally taking the sugar with a snort. After that he tossed his head and trotted off, but returned in short order.

Casting another look over her shoulder, Torie climbed over the coral fence. Being very still she held out her hand. The gray stepped forward and nuzzled it, looking for more sugar. Not finding any, he moved away again, but returned to her giving a soft neigh. Having gained some boldness the girl reached out to pet his face, but she noted the moment his eyes took on a wild glint. Before Torie knew what was happening there was a loud noise behind her and the horse reared high coming down far too close for comfort. Startled she fell back, landing solidly in the dirt. An arm was around her pulling her out of the corral before she could react and Torie looked up into furious blue eyes.

"What in the Sam Hill are you doing, girl?" Vin demanded, once she was free of the corral.

"Nothin'. I was fine until you came along," she responded with some heat. Probably not a good idea in retrospect.

Vin had experienced quite a scare seeing his charge in with the wild horse and the excess adrenaline did nothing for his temper. Putting his leg up on the watering trough he quickly pulled Torie over his knee and landed seven hard smacks to her rear.

When he set her right, there were unshed tears in her eyes, but no remorse. Far from it, in fact. Torie was livid. "You've got no call, no right!"

"Ya damn near got yerself trampled!"

Hardly even aware of what she was doing, Torie landed a firm kick to Vin's shin and turned to run in the opposite direction. She was too angry to even think about what she was doing. There was cursing behind her and she heard someone in pursuit. Running behind and then in between the clapboard buildings, Torie looked for a hiding spot. Not paying close attention to where she was going, she ran headlong into what she thought for a moment was a wall. Unfortunately, the wall had arms and quickly had her restrained.

TBC