Chapter 4

Joshua was getting worried; he knew that She was not one for tolerating children crying.

"May I suggest that Jeremiah and Candace take the babies back to the hotel and then Jeremiah can come back to visit me later?" She looked at him and seemingly agreed. She turned to look at her brother who knew what to do.

"Well, I am so glad you could come to visit us, but I think those little ones do need some rest and a nap! Candace, I am glad to meet you and would like to see you later when the babies are rested." She shook Candy's free hand and then shook Jeremy's hand. They got up and went to the wagon.

"Joshua, I know you would like to say goodbye, but I need you to run to the wood shed and get some more logs for the fire, it is getting a little chilly, so say your goodbyes and I will see them out!" Joshua looked at Jeremy with a worried look. Jeremy caught it and smiled as if he had seen nothing in Joshua's eyes. Joshua went out the back door and She escorted them out the front. As they came to the wagon, there were about 5 or 6 men who surrounded them.

"I am so sorry, Jeremiah, but I need to keep your lovely wife and the children for a little while longer! You see, I know that you came looking for your brother and your other brother is out there somewhere as well. So, If you want your little family to be safe, you will go back to your other brother and give him this letter. Joshua does not know this, but I will have your mountain and all the resources of your family. So, if you want any of them to survive, you will give this letter to your brother, and leave. I will send your wife and children away when I have seen that you have left the proper papers for me, and you and your other brother have left the state. Then and only then will I release Joshua and your little family!" Jeremy saw that there were guns pointed at him as well as Candy and the babies. He hopped into the wagon and headed back to town. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but somehow, someway he and Jason were going to rescue Joshua and Candy and the babies!

"Okay father, you can let go of Joshua now. Stick's take her and the babies to the milk barn. Do not harm them yet. Joshua, if you want to see her alive or your niece and nephew alive, you will do exactly what I tell you!" And She proceeded to explain his role. Her plan was to have all the brothers kill each other. Candy and the children would be collateral damage. She would have the guards holding them so that Joshua and his brothers would see they could be killed when ever She wished them to be. She loved the power this situation gave her. Power and entertainment. Ever since she had come into her own understanding, she knew she wanted money and power. She had killed her own mother and sister and would have killed her brother and father, but she was able to 'beat' them into submission and now they were accessories to murder and had no other alternative except to do what she wanted them to do. She paid well those who worked for her, and she wreaked havoc whenever she was thwarted.

"This time" She thought, " I will not stop, I will have a mountain and all the power in the world!" She then went to see Joshua and have him do something he would find distasteful but useful to her!

Chapter 4a

Jason and Matilda had set up the game plan. The Texas Rangers would be at the town in Montana in a day. There were a couple of 'spies' who had 'hired' on to work and had placed themselves strategically within the circle that was guarding Candy and the children. They had spent the last year working their way into her group and were thoroughly entrenched well enough to avoid suspicion. She knew all of her accomplices and did not worry that they were on her side, either for money or because they liked her or so she thought.

"Matilda, we have to pretend that we are married?" Jason asked with a little mischievous smile on his face.

"Yes, Jason and don't smile like that because if she catches that one little smirk, she will know she is being set up!" We are going to go as Reverend Johnson and his wife who have lost their way and are stopping for directions. Let us hope that Joshua or Candy do not give us away." Matilda said.

Jeremy had arrived a day earlier and had given the paperwork to Jason. It was a deed to the mountain they owned, with Joshua's signature and their faked signatures on it. Both had been shocked that Joshua would sign something like that but when Jeremy told him how Joshua was behaving and how She had taken Candy and the children, he understood what the plan was or had an idea of what She was planning for them to do.

"Jeremy, you are to get on the train tomorrow, with another man who will be dressed like Jason and leave. The 'deed' will be placed at the clerk's desk in the hotel for her to have picked up. Meanwhile, 'Mr. and Mrs. Johnson' will arrive at the cabin and ask directions. The other 'men' will be surrounding their place, take out several of her people. Candy is well guarded and protected, so please do not worry. You and 'Jason' will be seen getting on the train. You and he will get off the train as it is slowing down to take water. There will be two horses for you to ride back and meet us at the cabin. By that time this should all be over, and Candy and the children will be safe. If for some reason that does not happen be prepared to walk into a trap! She will have something as a contingency and so will we."

"AR-ar-are you sure?" Jeremy looked first at Matilda and then at Jason. Matilda said:

"As sure as we can be in a situation like this. Remember, we have a plan B also!" Matilda said.

"Jeremy, if anything goes wrong, Candy and the children will be safe and will be able to get away!" said Jason with his hand on Jeremy's shoulder. Their planning session was done; Jeremy went back to town along with Jason. They both acted like they had just met up and were making plans to leave. They bought tickets for the train for the next day and then the waiting started.