"All right," she agreed. "How do we get away?"

"Right after breakfast slip into the trees. Tell one of the boys you need privacy. They'll obey you. I'll wait for you at the bottom of the ridge." He smiled again. "Thank you, Leah. This means a lot to me."

With that he stood and left the cabin.

While she was cooking breakfast, Leah thought about Revis's words. Who was she to judge a person when her own brother and father were criminals? Perhaps Revis wasn't all bad. Maybe some of him was good. He did take care of Abe and his young brothers who were possibly too stupid to be able to take care of themselves. Maybe there were extenuating circumstances. Maybe there were reasons why he thieved. Maybe she could help him, show him there were other ways.

By the time she'd cleared away breakfast, she was actually looking forward to her ride. As she picked up the empty dishpan, Verity caught her arm.

"Don't go," Verity said in a hoarse whisper. "Revis is evil."

In spite of herself, Leah pulled away from Verity. She couldn't very well say what she thought, that Verity was frightened of her own shadow. Verity was afraid of Bud and Cal. No doubt she'd warn Leah not to be alone with one of those harmless giants.

"I'll be fine," Leah said patronizingly. "You just rest and when I return I'll bring you some flowers."

"Leah," Verity pleaded.

"Go rest," Leah half ordered and the light went out of Verity's eyes. Slowly the scared little woman turned back toward her corner.

Leah clucked her tongue for a moment over the woman's lack of courage, but she didn't waste time thinking about Verity. As soon as she started getting along with Revis, she could get Wesley out of the forest.

A half hour later she was running down the mountainside. It'd been quite easy to escape the boys and now she was looking forward to a morning away from work. When she saw Revis, she smiled tentatively.

"Come on." He half laughed. "Your horse awaits you, my lady."

At first Leah was so pleased to be away from her worries for a few minutes that she barely noticed Revis. It was hot and the air was hazy with mistand it all looked beautiful.

"There's fire in you, Leah," Revis said beside her. "You'd be a good partner for a man."

"I'm a married woman," she said, patting the horse's neck.

"And where is your husband?"

"In Sweetbriar, Kentucky," she said quickly. "Are we going anyplace in particular?"

"Just down the mountain. Any man who'd let you out of his sight would be a fool. I could give you a silk

dress."

She smiled at him. "I have several silk dresses, thank you. And I don't think my husband would want me to remain here." How she wished that were true!

"Is there nothing I can do to persuade you to stay with me?"

In spite of telling herself it didn't matter, it was very nice to be desired by this good-looking man. He

thought she was a lady even though he knew she was a Simmons.

The woods began to thin as stumps showed where travelers had cut down trees.

"Isn't that the Wilderness Trail down there?" she asked, looking at the deep, permanent wagon ruts.

"We'd better go back."

"No," he said. "There's a stream across the trail. I want to show you something."

"But if someone sees you* I mean*"

"I know what you mean, Leah," he said heavily. "Could I show you something now?"

"Of course." They were sitting on their horses in the middle of the well-worn trail and just a little way

away was the smoke from a camp fire.

Out of his pocket Revis pulled a black silk handkerchief, and while Leah watched he tied it about his face.

She didn't like what she saw. She'd almost forgotten that he was a thief. "I think we'd better return."

"Not yet, my lofty princess," he said as he grabbed the reins of her horse.

The next minute they were thundering down the trail toward the camp fire smoke, Leah barely able to

hang onto the saddle. Once she screamed "No," but Revis paid no attention.

They burst like storm clouds into the clearing where two wagons sat. The settlers, each involved in some task about the campsite, looked up and froze.

Revis shot one man through the forehead.

Aghast, for a moment Leah couldn't move. Then, in one motion, she was off her horse and onto the

ground, running toward the dead man. A woman near her screamed.

Revis rode his horse near to where Leah hovered over the man. "Get their goods, Leah," he said coolly.

"You animal!" she screamed and began to beat Revis with her fists.

Revis leveled his pistol and shot the woman beside Leah in the shoulder.

By now there were five settlers and two children standing by the wagons, looking in horror at the masked

man and the people near him.

"If you don't obey me you'll have to choose who'll die next," Revis said as he pulled another pistol from his saddle.

The bleeding woman at Leah's feet began to cry.

"You have about ten seconds to obey me, Leah," Revis said.

"What* what do I do?" She knew that now only action counted and words were useless.

"Get that man's hat and fill it with whatever they have." He pointed with the pistol. "Any of you give my

partner any trouble and I'll put a bullet through your head."

"I'm not," Leah began but stopped. When she stood before the settler, he looked at her with hate.

"The Lord will see you burn for this," the man hissed at her as he handed her his hat.

"No, please, I."

"Listen to him, Leah," Revis said. "All of you, I want to introduce Mrs. Leah Simmons Stanford of

Virginia and soon to be of Sweetbriar, Kentucky."

With shaking hands, Leah walked in front of the settlers as they put their watches and rings into the hat.

One woman spit a great glob into Leah's face. Leah only halfheartedly wiped it away.

"Come on, Leah, honey," Revis said coaxingly. "We need to get back and these good people need to

bury their dead."

At her horse she hesitated.

"If you stayed here they'd tear you to bits and if you don't go with me I'll kill two more. I think I'd like

doing that," he said so that only she heard.

As if she were in a daze, Leah mounted her horse. Revis again took the reins and pulled her with him into the forest.

Just after crossing the Wilderness Trail, he stopped and pulled off his mask. "I told you I'd make you pay

for using my brothers against me," he said. "In a few days everyone for miles will know about the lovely Mrs. Stanford who is a thief as well as a murderess."

"No," Leah whispered.

"And now, my pretty Leah, you have a real reason to stay with me. You leave my protection and the secrecy of our cabin and you'll be arrested and hanged by the neck until dead." With that he began to laugh. "You'll get used to it," he laughed. "On the next raid you'll know just what to do. And since you'll already be well-known, we won't have to cover that pretty face of yours.

"Let's go," he said, laughing. "Blood always makes me hungry."

He led her horse up the intricate, secret path to the cabin while Leah sat on the horse and knew her life was over.