"My first concern is Melody and her brothers."

"How are you going to get them away from Blade?"

"I won't have any idea until I know where he's holding them."

A short while later Chet realized he was fortunate to have followed before dawn. A dim glow against the canyon wall two hundred feet above told him where Blade had made his camp. In day-light, he wouldn't have seen the fire. Blade would have been able to shoot him out of the saddle before he got within a hundred yards of the trail.

"We can't ride up there without making enough noise to wake the dead," Speers said.

"I'm going up on foot," Chet said. "I'll find out where everybody is, then come up with a plan. Once I do, I'll give you a signal."

"What kind of signal?"

Chet gave an owl call. "Think you can recognize that?"

"Sure, as long as there ain't no real owls in this canyon."

"It should take me about an hour."

"You'd better hurry," Speers said, looking at the sky. "It'll be getting light about then. You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"I want you to create a diversion. Make as much noise as you can. Use both the horses. Make him think there's a posse down here."

"Is he going to kill us?" Neill asked his sister. Though he was clearly exhausted, the boy hadn't been able to sleep all night. "No," Melody said. "He's not going to hurt us."

"He hurt Sydney," Neill reminded her.

Yes, and somehow she'd make him pay for that.

"Why is he keeping us here?"

"He's mad at Chet. He wants to shoot him when he comes after us."

"But Chet has gone away."

"I told Blade that, but he doesn't believe me."

"He's going to be really mad when he finds out. Do you think he'll kill us then?"

"No." But Melody was afraid of what he might do. Blade had tied them up and dragged her and Neill over to the edge of the narrow ledge so anyone pa.s.sing below could see them. His two men stayed at a small campfire at the far end of the ledge. She could see Blade's outline against the dark rock as he waited and watched for Chet.

"Is Sydney going to die?" Neill asked.

"No."

"He looks like he's dead."

"He's sleeping. Blade hurt him very badly."

"I tried to stop him, but they wouldn't let me."

That was another score she had to settle with Blade. Neill would always feel guilty about not being able to protect his brother.

"Don't think about that now. Try to get some sleep."

"Will Chet come after us?"

"He's gone, Neill. He doesn't know we've been captured. I'm sure Dan is organizing the men right now."

"He'll never find us. Chet would. He knows all about this stupid canyon."

The danger to her and her brothers was all she could think about right now. She didn't think she could handle thinking about Chet leaving her, too, without breaking down.

"Chet would kill all three of them," Neill said. "He can shoot better than anybody in the world."

It was the very ability that could save them that had driven him away, but Melody didn't have time to worry about irony. She had to think of some way to get free, to send a message, to warn She heard a soft sound, like a tiny stone falling from the rocky slope above. But she hadn't heard it bounce down the slope, just the soft plop as it landed next to her. Another stone landed near her. Melody didn't understand who could have dislodged it. Blade's men were sleeping; Blade was still waiting for Chet. Then, just as she was about to speak to Neill, she saw a blond head disappear behind a boulder next to the trail leading down to the canyon floor.

Chet! She stifled a gasp at the same moment she told herself not to be foolish. One of Blade's men was blond. She glanced back at the campfire. She thought she saw two men, but she couldn't be sure. Maybe one was hiding behind that rock so he'd be behind anybody who tried to rescue her. But even as she tried to convince herself she was only imagining that Chet had come back because she so desperately wanted him to, the blond head reappeared.

It was Chet. For a moment she thought was going to faint from joy and relief. Chet was here. She didn't know how or why, but she didn't care. Somehow he would get her out of this mess. Somehow she would convince him he could never leave her again.

He motioned her to keep quiet. "Neill," she said softly.

"Yeah."

"Don't move. No matter what you do, don't make a sound."

"Why?"

"I said not to move," she hissed.

Neill turned back around. "What is it?" he whispered.

"Promise not to make a sound?"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"Chet is hiding in those rocks behindI told you not to move!"

Neill had started to turn. At her sharp command, he settled back down.

"I don't know what he's going to do, but we've got to pretend to be asleep so Blade won't look this way."

Melody positioned herself so she could watch the men at the campfire. They were still sleeping. She lay still, waiting, straining her ears to hear even the slightest sound. She'd never realized so many tiny sounds filled the night. It seemed the entire canyon was alive. Yet when Chet suddenly whispered right behind her, she nearly jumped out of her skin. She hadn't heard a thing, not even the whisper of clothing against rock.

"Don't move," he said. "I'm going to untie you. You untie Neill while I work my way over to Sydney."

Chet didn't say anything while he untied the rope that bound her arms. Holding them close to her body so the movement couldn't be seen, she rubbed them vigorously to restore the circulation.

"Back up to me very slowly," she told Neill.

Chet finished untying her feet. "Don't move until I get back." "What are you going to do?"

"Speers is down below. As soon as I give the signal, he's going to create a diversion to give us a chance to get away."

"Blade gave Sydney a savage beating. He can't run. I doubt he can even walk."

"Then I'll carry him."

"But how can you"

"I'll figure out something. Just be ready to run the moment you hear an owl hoot."

Chapter Twenty-One.

Melody didn't know where to run, how far, or anything else, but Chet would know. He had come after her, found and untied them without alerting Blade or his men. He could do anything. She still could hardly believe Chet had returned. His appearance had seemed magical. In the dark, it was almost possible to believe she had imagined it. But her hands were free. She hadn't imagined that.

Chet had returned for her.

She didn't know what had caused him to change his mind, but she was sure he'd come back for her. There could be no other reason. Even in the stress of the moment, it had been impossible to misinterpret the way he looked at her. No matter what she had to do, regardless of what she had to suffer, she vowed they would never be separated again. A touch on her shoulder caused her to start violently.

"Sshhhh!" Chet said.

Melody forced herself to breathe slowly and evenly, willed her heart to cease its violent hammering in her chest.

"I wasn't able to get to Blade," Chet said. Light had begun to show in the eastern skies. It would soon be morning.

"He's watching for you."

"That's thrown a kink into my plans, but we'll have to get along as best we can."

"What are you going to do?"

"I've tangled the guards' feet. I couldn't tie up them up without waking them, but it'll take them a few minutes to work free, enough for me to get Sydney and Neill away. Here, take this."

Melody recoiled. His gun lay in his hand.

"You've got to hold off Blade while I get Sydney down the trail. I can't do both."

"I can't kill Blade."

"I don't want you to kill him. Just shoot at him. You don't have to hit him, just hold him off long enough for me to get the boys to safety. Once we've started down the trail, Speers will come up to help."

Melody stared down at the gun. She realized the choice that lay before her now was the same choice countless men and women before her had been forced to make, the same choice Chet had once made. It was a choice between death and life for herself and people she loved.

She reached out and touched the gun. It felt cold and hard, this black steel that killed with impunity, without regard for the sanct.i.ty of human life, with no thought for the pain and misery it created in innocent lives. How could she use it after speaking so pa.s.sionately against guns, after heaping contempt on men who used them?

The mere thought caused her to recoil. She opened her mouth to tell Chet they would have to find some other way.

"If you don't shoot Blade, will he kill us?"

Neill's childlike voice, the meaning of his words, were like a stab to her heart. This child was helpless by himself. So was Sydney. They depended on her and Chet to protect them from the senseless threat of a madman. And Chet, the man she loved, the man who'd repeatedly risked his life for her, was asking her to protect him while he carried her brother to safety. He could have been hundreds of miles away by now, but he'd returned because he loved her.

She looked up at him. He had to know the thoughts going through her mind because they must have gone through his. He knew the price she would have to pay. He'd already paid it because he couldn't desert the brother he loved. And now, he'd taken up his gun again because he couldn't desert the woman he loved.

He did love her. She could see it shining in his eyes with the power of a thousand beacon fires. But then, she didn't need any proof. She'd seen it the numerous times he'd gone against what he wanted to do because of her.

She lowered her gaze to the gun. That horrid piece of metal had stood between them from the beginning. If she picked it up, she could erase the barrier that stood between them. Never again would a gun hang like a shadow over their lives. She would know what he felt because she had felt it herself. She reached for the gun. This was a choice she'd never expected to have to make. It would leave a scar on her soul for the rest of her life, but it was something she could learn to live with. She couldn't live with the knowledge that she'd failed Chet and her brothers.

The gun felt awkward. She almost expected it to come to malevolent life in her hand. She was being foolish. It was a tool to be used if needed, and she needed it now. "What do I do?" she asked.

"When I give the signal, Speers is going to start a diversion. As soon as Blade goes to see what's happening, I'll pick up Sydney and take him and Neill down the trail."

"How long do I stay here?" The thought of facing Blade alone terrified her, but she refused to think of that just now.

"You've got to hold off Blade until Speers can reach us."

Melody felt as though she'd been thrust into the middle of a bad dream. She'd never been asked to "hold off" anyone. The closest she'd come to military maneuvers was deciding how to capture a particularly hateful rooster her aunt wanted to cook for Sunday dinner.

The sound of an owl hooting practically in her ear nearly startled a tiny shriek out of Melody. She looked up. Chet grinned and cupped his hands over his mouth in silent imitation of what he'd just done. She glanced over to where Blade stood, but he hadn't moved.

"That's the signal for Speers," Chet whispered.

They waited, but nothing happened. Chet gave the signal again. This time something happened. Blade looked in their direction, got to his feet, and started toward them. "Sit up, both of you," Chet hissed to Melody and Neill. "Sit close together. I'll crouch down behind you. I don't want to shoot Blade unless I have to."

"You're too big. He'll see you."

"Talk to him. Distract him."

"Couldn't you sleep?" Melody called to Blade.

"It'll be daylight soon," Blade said. "Then Chet will come. What's wrong with your brother? He's backing up to you like he thinks I'm going to hurt him."

"He's cold."

Blade was drawing closer. Melody felt Chet pressed hard against her back. She heard the soft click of the hammer being pulled back on his gun. If she didn't do something, Blade would see that she and Neill were no longer tied up. Neill sat on his feet and she'd hidden hers with her skirt, but it wouldn't be long before he knew.

"Could you bring me a cup of coffee on your way over?" she asked. "I'm cold and thirsty."

"We don't have any more coffee. The boys will have to make some more."

He kept coming. She started feeling desperate. "Some water will be fine. Some for Neill, too."