The Last Patrol

[Scarlet Angel]

Cyrus sat down next to Teddy. "Tell me what happened."

"I thought we was under attack. We were being fired at. Richardson yelled sumthin' bout Indians. I dismounted to take cover and he shot me, twice, left me there to die Cyrus, run off with my horse and my gear. I swear I'm gonna kill that son o' bitch if he ain't dead already. Just tryin' to figure out how slow an' painful it's gonna be. When some of the others rode inta help me they were easy marks."

"Bo said Richardson is a traitor. Dick is up to something bad and I saw Taylor ride in with the soldiers. Something smells wrong and I need Richardson to talk."

"Ya better get his tongue moving before I decide to cut it out." Teddy remarked.

"Means I got three days." Cyrus said with a wink.

"Unless there are enemies among us who are willing to kill each other to keep their secret."

"How are you Teddy?" Scarlet asked approaching the two men.

Teddy's face lit up. "I'll be fit to ride in three days an' dancin' with ya in six." He teased.

Scarlet smiled. "Careful I may hold you to that and I don't think yer doctor would approve."

"I'll save a dance for her two. Wouldn't be here without the two of you. Thank you." Teddy said.

Cyrus looked at her. "Tell me your account of what happened."

Scarlet didn't leave any bloody detail out, the only one omitted was the conversation between her and Frank. She explained two bullet wounds in the back marked a traitor, worse than a coward, that is why they are placed in the back. Not deep enough to kill a man so he'd seek medical attention. She told him she knew Ella would find the balls and tell Bo. She leveled her gaze at Cyrus. "Taylor is a traitor too. He may talk if you get a hold of him before the ring leader. He's already on borrowed time." Scarlet turned "He's a coward and a traitor." She said as an afterthought.

Cyrus went to talk to the others.   

[Scarlet Angel]

Frank found Bo sitting not far from Captain King's tent.  He touched the tip of his hat as he approached. Bo dipped his head in acknowledgement. Bo had just finished cleaning and reassembling his revolvers. He said nothing as Frank approached.

Frank waited for a minute looking all around him. "Strange to see you at this fire." He finally said.

"I'm at home among soldiers and coffee was hot." Bo replied.

Frank looked around again, hoping Bo would say something else, but he didn't, so it was up to Frank to carry the conversation.

"Scarlet seemed to avoid me today." He said.

Bo looked at him there was nothing Frank could read in his expression.

"It's strange to fight next to a woman. The only place I'm used to seeing one is with the medics, like Ella, or well you know." Frank said.

Bo still listened but didn't respond.

"Did you give your report to Cyrus?"

Bo responded to Frank's relief, but the response was short. "Yes, he has a lot to consider right now."

Frank waited a moment but no other remark was made. Bo just kept watching the surroundings. Frank looked again but everything appeared to be as it should be. He finally went to the guard at Fritz's tent.

"I wish to speak to Mrs. King." He said.

"I have not seen her." The sentry replied to Frank's surprise.

Frank walked back to where Bo sat. "I want to talk to Scarlet." He said.

"Wouldn't recommend it if ya think she has been avoiding you." Bo replied.

Frank was growing rather frustrated. "I'd like to speak to her anyway." He said.

Bo shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not gonna stop you."

"Where is she?"

Bo looked at him. "Thought you were a good tracker."

Frank slightly rolled his eyes. "I know you know where she's at. I would appreciate you telling me where I can find her."

Bo pointed towards grass. Frank looked in the direction Bo pointed. He was finally able to make out the tips of Lucky's ears above the tall grass and not all that far from them. She probably had heard their conversation if she'd been listening.

Scarlet sat at the edge of where the soldiers were camped. She could see Fritz's tent and the scout's camp beyond that. She could indeed hear what was going on but did not care to be part of it. She sat quietly listening and cleaning her gear. The blood from the knife was the last of it.

"Bo's right." She said looking up as Frank approached.

"I'd never figure you to hide from me."

"I'm not hiding. Sometimes I just enjoy the company of my horse to that of people." She said softly.

"He a hold a better conversation than some people?" Frank said watching Lucky get to his feet.

Scarlet narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you want Frank?"

"I came to apologize."

Scarlet put her knife back in its sheath, looked at him and waited.

She sure didn't seem to make this any easier he thought. "I'm sorry for calling you a back shooter Scarlet. I miss understood your actions."

[Scarlet Angel]

Bo had been bird dogging Scarlet half the day, maybe it was just what he was used to doing. She hardly needed to be guarded from danger here. She obviously had something on her mind and had only remarked she was irritated with Frank for being narrow minded but it would blow over. That had told Bo to give her her space and let her work through what ever was eating at her. The fact she had come to be near Fritz but not with him told Bo she really didn't want to talk to anybody t'all. 

Bo had learned long ago to watch Lucky as well as Scarlet. She could hide her emotions but sometimes the horse could tip you off if you knew how to read the situation. It was fast but the fact that Lucky pinned his ears at Frank alerted Bo and brought him to his feet. He didn't know if he should intervene or stand back and wait.

"Is that all you came to say?" Scarlet said somberly as she searched his eyes for honesty.

Frank was surprised. Could she not accept an apology? 

"Yes."

"Fine, just leave me alone Frank." She said flatly.

"That doesn't sound like you accept my apology."

Scarlet rolled her eyes "I accept your apology Frank. Now please just go."

He could here the agitation in her voice.

Frank crossed his arms in front of him. "Obviously you don't, are we not friends?"

Scarlet took a deep breath and slowly stood. "I shot the man in the back and you're apologizing for misinterpreting my actions. I'm good with that." She said leveling her eyes on him.

She had stepped back which he thought gave him the upper hand. Truth be told she was trying to keep her distance from him before her temper got the upper hand. "Then tell me what's eatin' at you so we can get past this." He said taking a step towards her.

Bo slowly had closed the gap between himself, Scarlet and Frank. He still didn't know what the problem was he could read the fact her temper was rising.

Scarlet's cold glance froze Bo in his tracks.

She began slowly carefully choosing her words, trying her best to remain calm. "Friends don't insult one another the way you did where I come from Frank. An' those who are not friends that insulted me the way you did wouldn't have drawn a second breath."

Frank searched his memory. He knew he had said to much, some out of fear of the situation some out of hasty judgment, and right now he was having trouble recalling just what he had said. He remembered lecturing her on the wrong doing of shooting one in the back, which didn't seem to be what was bothering her.

"I'm sorry Scarlet. I can't say I remember insulting you beyond the back shooting comment." He said.

Scarlet's eyes flashed with anger as the back of her right hand met his cheek. The sound seemed to echo through camp.

"How dare you!" She growled stepping forward standing toe to toe with Frank. 

He was shocked at her actions and his cheek burned where she had hit him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" He said trying to step back, but she kept close to him.

"Let me tell you something about my father, Johnny Reb, he taught me to survive, he taught me how to send codes damn few can read in case they are intercepted. And livin' with my late husband taught me to think about things 'fore I take action. He was a Texas Reb soldier too. Both good men, both taught me to look beyond what a man wears and not to shoot him just because the cut of his clothing." The more she talked the madder she seemed to get. Frank stepped back again; this time she didn't follow she just kept talking. "But mostly Frank if I was gonna take down all the Yanks I can I surely wouldn't be riding with 'em and I wouldn't have married one and be sharing his bed! NOW GO!" she yelled pointing back towards the scout's camp.

Frank backed away, watching her carefully, wondering if she might have thoughts of killing him as he remembered their conversation. No wonder she had been mad.

Bo had moved back to the stool he had occupied knowing if she was going to draw on Frank she would not have dismissed him.

"I am sorry for my comments." Frank said stopping next to Bo.

"She had every right ta kill you for remarks I kin only guess you made." Bo said.

Frank dropped his head. "I reckon yer right."

Bo took his flask and poured some of the contents into the cup he had been sipping. Scarlet and Lucky had gone back to their spot barely seen in the grass. "I'll tell you something few know 'bout Scarlet. Next time you blurt things out as to her upbringing and those she chooses to ride with, you think long and hard on it."

"I will." Frank replied softly.

"The first man Scarlet killed wore a Confederate uniform and lived in the town not far from where she lives. Someone she believed she could trust. So when she says she looks beyond the cut of a man's clothes you can believe that. Johnny's a hard ass but he's a good man, fair for the most part. You can bet if he thought the only good Yank is a dead one King would have been skinned long time back." Bo said taking a sip from the cup. "From what I know Frank yer a good man too, but if you say that kinda mess to her again and she don't kill you I may. It's called family pride and I won't have ya bad mouthing my family. If you were ignorant before you aren't anymore."

"I'm truly sorry Bo."

"Go on, for she changes her mind and lines us both up in her sights."

Frank turned and hurried back to camp.

[Elegant Ella]

The arrival of the long-expected Crow and Shoshone tribesmen hid the mutiny in Cyrus's band from official attention.
The duties of Cyrus's men changed from individually scouting to translating for bands of Indian scouts.

The column reached the Tongue River, and General Crook allowed everyone a day of rest. Some of the soldiers relaxed by horse racing. The races were ended when a bullet fired from across the river hit a winning horse in the leg.

That bullet was the first sign of a brief attack by Cheyenne Indians that left only minor injuries among the soldiers.

[Scarlet Angel]

Cyrus took a seat next to Bo  "Teddy says today was just a small scratch on the surface of what is to come." He said after following Bo's gaze towards where Teddy sat next to Scarlet.

Bo half smiled. "He's right. Today was just enough to ruffle the feathers of those that scare easy and give a false sense of superiority to the stupid ones."

Cyrus chuckled "you or Scarlet say that?"

Bo looked at him. "Scarlet says we've turned onto the road to hell and have yet to even reach the gates, but we have gotten their attention." He replied flatly.

"My feathers are ruffled too Bo, but it's not something I didn't expect. It's what I signed on for."

"I know what it is to fight Indians Cyrus. I know what it is to fight among them too. You got to stay right in the middle of that horse, what ever way he twists be ready. Ya can't be lookin' over yer shoulder to see if someone on your own team is gonna shoot you in the back."

"You see that huh? Never thought I'd have to worry bout my own brother doing that.....but then sometimes I know deep down he's the one I got to worry most about. My own damn brother." Cyrus growled.

"You've kept him busy enough he's not had the time to plot against you, but that doesn't mean a well placed bullet in the back is not coming."

"Today when the gun fire erupted I hoped one of those bullets would find him and get rid of my problems." Cyrus smiled again.

Bo slapped his friend on the back. "Fate has started the wheels we're just along for the ride my friend." He looked back towards Teddy and Scarlet "They seem to be settling into this easy enough, we should join them." He said watching them pass a flask.


"You two seem to be taking all this in stride." Bo said reaching Teddy and Scarlet.

"It's comforting to speak to someone who shares similar views Bo. Cyrus there listens but at times he thinks I'm crazy."

"You just scare him Teddy. He don't think yer crazy." Bo replied.

"He tell you that?" Teddy asked.

"No" Bo said taking the flask offered "I ride with Scarlet. Her mind rides a different path than mine. Sometimes I don't understand it but her words and actions are true and she scares the hell outta me. So I know how Cyrus feels."

"Bo's right Teddy, but like Bo and Scarlet I wouldn't trade you for anything else." Cyrus said before excusing himself to go find out what the Captain's plans were come morning.

[Elegant Ella]

General Crook kept the troops camped on the Tongue river, while the outposts frequently reported seeing Indians. A rumor floated around the camp that Crazy Horse had warned General Crook not to cross the Tongue, and some wondered why General Crook was heeding the warning.

On June 15th, Frank Grouard brought nearly 300 more Crow and Shoshones scouts. The Crows were led by Alligator-Stands-Up and the Shoshones by Washakie.

General Crook ordered that the wagon train remain with an infantry guard, and the rest of the foot soldiers ride on mules from the train. The medical team was staying with the wagons and ambulances.

Ella found Bo to ask his advice, "Should I stay with the medical team, or come where I can be useful?"

[Scarlet Angel]

Bo wondered if asking was Ella's way of just letting him know she intended to go where she could be more useful.

"Before you gather yer stuff to come with us I'm going to tell you I think the Indians that will be fighting us will not be showing mercy, and will most likely think it unmerciful if you try to help them.  Mercy to them will be killing them in battle so they die with honor. You may have to shoot somebody against your better judgment."  He said knowing how much she hated having to take a life, saving them is what she did after all.

[Elegant Ella]

"Scarlet can probably tell you that the whole time I've been a deputy, I've been afraid that I would get someone else killed. I worry that I might distract someone, not intentionally, but someone would protect me instead of watching out for himself. Or else, I might hesitate to shoot." Ella hesitated before continuing, "I can't imagine Scarlet or Patches ever needing to be protected, or allowing any man to think she does. But I was a city girl for too long. I'm content to send the scouts across the river without me, hoping that I taught them enough to help each other."

[Scarlet Angel]

Bo half smiled at Ella's comment and replied. "Everyone needs protecting in one form or another Ella, admit it or let someone think we do, well yer right when you say we don't admit that part, but you never have to ask or admit it to someone cares for ya."

Bo turned and checked the rigging on his horse then turned back to Ella. "Thanks to you I believe I ride with the best medically trained group of scouts since I rode with Johnny and Travis." He bowed at the waist and kissed the back of her hand. "I hope that medical team has had as good o training with weapons as the scouts have had from you."

Bo turned and swung up on Dancer's back. He hoped next time he saw Ella she wouldn't be standing over him sewing him back together.

[Elegant Ella]

June 17, 1876

"Hurry up and wait, as usual, but you seem to be waiting more productively than I am." Doctor Martin's voice didn't startle Ella enough to make her blotch the sketch she was making of a plant growing near the river.

"The wait shouldn't be too long. General Crook will need supplies soon," replied Ella. "The troopers don't seem to mind waiting."

"They're glad to rest after marching for over two weeks. I'll put them to work improving the ford before they get restless. What is that plant?"

"The healers in a tribe down south use something that looks like this and grows along mountain streams for treating chills and fever," replied Ella. "I think this smells the same. It's similar to a wild flower that's also found in Connecticut."

Doctor Martin sat on the river bank next to her before asking, "What is it called? What's the next step for identifying it?"

"Horsemint has distinctive flowers and bracts. These plants are going to bloom in a few more days."

"If General Crook hasn't sent the mules back with orders to cross the river and rejoin the column by then."

"Now that I know it's in this area, I can keep my eyes open for it.  I tried to grow it in my garden in El Paso, but it didn't do well. I would try this variety if there were seed to collect, since carrying a little potted plant is impractical right now."

"You've got a good view here," said Doctor Martin, gazing off across the river.

"I watched the column departing yesterday as long as I could," admitted Ella. "Do you hear anything other than the river and camp noises?"

Doctor Martin listened, then shook his head.

Ella said, "I've been imagining I hear gunfire all day. I expect it is just my imagination, since the column ought to be twenty miles away as the crow flies."

[Scarlet Angel]

Scarlet had been quieter than usual ever since the announcement they were going to cross the river. Bo wondered what she was thinking as he watched her. Her jaw was clenched her eyes watching her surroundings, as a good scout would do, yet she was far away.

He was almost afraid to ask, but couldn't help himself. "Where are you Scarlet?"

She glanced his way. "No place important." She replied.

Bo snorted. "'member who it is you're talkin' to." He said refereeing to the fact he knew her almost as well as he knew himself.

This time she tilted her head as she looked his way. "I am traveling across time Bo."

"Some place more pleasant than this?" He asked.

"Not so much. Thinking of Devil's mountain."

"A lot of things good and bad happen there Scarlet. Take me with you, you always say it helps to share things that bother you." He half smiled knowing she didn't like when folks used her philosophy against her, especially when she didn't particularly want to share; he also knew he could get away with more than just about anybody he knew when it came to getting information from her.

[Scarlet Angel]

"Some day we may learn that leaving each other to our own thoughts is the best thing." Scarlet said.

"I hope we both grow that old Scarlet, because it won't be anytime soon."

"Bo, I keep seeing Colonel Troutman's eyes lined up in the sights of my pistol. I would have killed him and died myself defending Black Wolf's son. I would have killed every one of the soldiers that rode with him that day and if I died I would have died an honorable death as far as I am concerned."

"Troutman would have killed that boy, though I suspect he knew the boy was innocent. He would like to see all Indians wiped from the face of the earth."

Bo detected a bit of sadness in her voice as she replied "If we succeed here it will give him a good start won't it."

Bo didn't know what to say.

"I pray that I will not someday have to make the choice of having to fight against ones that have become friends, that this war does not come home, but I fear that it will."

"I pray we do not all die here." Bo stated.

"Me too, for it would be a death without honor for me." Scarlet said.

Bo put his hand on hers. "You will not die here without honor Angel."

She no sooner finished saying "I hope you are right. Men fighting for their homes and families are the most dangerous." when the gunfire erupted.
 

[Scarlet Angel]

Cyrus wondered which one of them would come home alive as he looked at his brother's back. Keep your friends close and your enemy's closer echoed through his mind. Bo had said it the night they brought Teddy in.

Dick was not his brother's friend and Cyrus had come to view him as an enemy. "How could one take his own brother's life?" He wondered. He'd heard of a few who had done it. Jimmy Bradbury, Scarlet's adopted brother, had been rumored to do it during the war with the South. The investigations by the army stated the man had been attacked by enemy forces and brutally slaughtered. Neither Bo nor Scarlet would confirm something different. Cyrus started to wonder if Jimmy had just built a reputation on rumors, but he doubted it.

When Cyrus asked Scarlet about his own situation with Dick she had replied "Yer the one has to live with your actions Cyrus. If the fact he shares the same linage as you means something then it does."  Teddy was more of a brother to him than Dick ever could be and he wished there had been more evidence to prove Dick had been behind the plot.

[Scarlet Angel]

Voices could be heard over the volley of gunfire that errupted. "Go go!" as one of the scouts rode out to warn the soldiers of the attack.

"There's too many of them! Fall Back!" came Cyrus' voice.

Those voices and orders seemed like they had been said days ago before the gunfire subsided and the men began to filter back to the main position but the sun had only reached high above them.

Scarlet and Bo had been separated early in the day when she and Teddy had been asked to put the long range rifles they carried to good use.

"Where's Lucky?" he whispered to his horse as they rode to where it looked like Cyrus' scouts were congregating. He could feel Dancer's pace pick up then the horse came to a stop. Bo focused his eyes on hers as he slid down. He felt her catch him. Bo put an arm around her and pulled her close. She could feel him smile as wrapped her arms around him. "I told you you would not die here without honor Scarlet."

"Bo?" he heard her voice after he'd been quiet for a moment. He was still holding her as tight as he could; his head was on her shoulder. "If I die darlin' I can't think of a better place than in your arms."

[Elegant Ella]

June 19, 1876

The sun lit up the rising dust plume long before anything could be seen at its base. For the next hour, it seemed that everyone in the camp was taking a turn out to the high spot along the river, straining to see whether the dust cloud was enemies approaching, or the army returning, or just from the mules coming with orders to move across the river. After Major Martin watched for several minutes through field glasses, he strode off.

Ella continued watching through her pocket telescope while noises from the camp indicated that the troopers were setting up the hospital tents. Her anxiety increased steadily. She had spotted Scarlet, and was pretty sure she had seen Fritz, but she couldn't find Bo. She saw Dancer being ridden by another of the scouts, but not Bo. It looked like most of the mules were carrying litters with wounded men, while other mules and horses had bodies draped over them.

Where was Bo?

[Elegant Ella]

Before the column got to the ford, Ella had pulled herself together and gone to see where Major Martin wanted to assign her. She found him giving instructions to the medical team.

"Samuels, you and Henderson will alternate between triage and surgery. Remember that your instructions to the litter bearers will be surgery for urgent cases, right tent for non-urgent cases, left tent for hopeless cases. Johnson, Cole, you will assist in the surgery until the urgent cases are handled, then go to work in the medical tent. Coatsworth, assist with triage, then work on making the cases in the left tent as comfortable as possible."

Ella knew Johnson from his time in her care while he was stationed at Fort Bliss. His broken legs had healed well, and he had returned to his duties as an orderly working for Dr. Griffin at Fort Bliss. He had come to Fort Fetterman as Captain Henderson's orderly. Cole walked carefully around Ella. He remembered too much of the tongue-lashing she had given him, and the heavy cleaning he had had to do the next day.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella with Major Samuels and Captain Henderson and a dozen troopers for litter bearers waited for the wounded far enough from the river to allow the entire column to cross and get sorted out.

Captain Henderson wanted to take the first wounded man up to surgery, but Ella stopped him. "Remember that our job is triage, or sorting. You don't want to fill the surgery with minor wounds and then have no place for someone with a serious wound. That trooper's wound is in a leg, the wound is already bandaged and the bandages are holding well, so he can wait a little while. Send him to the right-hand tent, and continue down the line."

Major Samuels was looked a little shocked at the number of wounded to check. There probably were 70 litters lined up for their attention, and he was having trouble focusing on the one in front of him. Ella advised him, "You just take them one at a time. It's always a surprise when you look for the next one, and find you're all done." The trooper in front of Samuels was wounded in the abdomen, and already fevered. Samuels sent him to the left-hand tent.

Captain Henderson had reached a trooper with a bandaged head, and looked to Ella for confirmation before taking him to surgery.

Samuels and Ella continued down the line. The time since the battle had already done a lot of sorting. Many of the troopers with critical wounds were already dead.

[Scarlet Angel]

Cyrus worked his way down the line of wounded talking to his scouts that could respond. The ones who didn't need attention from the doctors were taking care of one another. Cyrus was thankful they had listened to Ella's teachings.

He stopped at Dick's litter. He didn't know how he really felt looking down at his brother. Judging from the wound it would be some time before the man died, but die he would after he suffered. How could one really feel bad for a man who tried to kill him and had nearly killed his best friend.

Cyrus took a deep breath; he remembered hearing Black beard call his name near the end of the fighting. He looked in time to see Dick raising a rifle with what looked like the intention to shoot Cyrus in the back, the moment seemed to freeze time and his reactions seemed like they were running in slow motion, the sound of a large bore rifle echoed and Dick fell then time seemed to rush forward. Standing there looking at his brother now he still didn't know who had made the shot but the list of who would calculate such a wound that was a good long shot was fairly short. He supposed he might be able to dig the bullet out to find out after Dick died, but did it matter? Someone had done for him what he had only thought about.

Cyrus looked down the line, his eyes falling on Teddy. His friend had ridden next to Scarlet the entire way back. Cyrus knew she was angry; one had to be blind not to see it. Bo had been one of the scouts ordered to ride through the canyon against their better judgment. The scouts had fought against it saying it was a perfect place for an ambush but their objections had fallen on deaf ears and it had happened. 

He didn't know what to say as he approached her. "I'm sorry Scarlet." Was all he was able to manage.

"You only be sorry if you are the one that gave the order Cyrus. Men who do jobs like ours know they may never see home again every time they ride out." Scarlet said looking up the line, her eyes falling on the young soldier Major Samuels and Ella were sending to the left tent. The litter bearers stopped about four steps from Ella calling her and Major Samuels back. "I don't think he's breathing any more." One of the litter bearers remarked.

[Elegant Ella]

"Carry out your orders, trooper," snapped Ella. It was hard enough dealing with a line of wounded when everything in her wanted to tend to the wounds in front of her. Debating with Major Samuels had made it worse. She hoped that feeling the same torment was the reason he wanted to take every case to surgery, although she suspected that he was more driven to escape from the sight of so many wounded in one place. The sooner she got to the end of the line, the sooner she could go help the patients assigned to her, even if all she was going to be able to do for some of them would be to close their eyes, like the trooper being carried away.

Ella reached Dick's litter. Gutshot, and already fevered. Samuels had stopped arguing about abdomen wounds, after she let him take one to surgery. She didn't know what Major Martin had said to him, but he hadn't stayed in the surgery very long that time. She signaled the litterbearers to take him to the left tent.

Major Samuels was sending the next scout to the left tent, but she didn't notice. Bo was unconscious in the next litter, with bandages around his waist. There was pink-tinted dampness in the bandages over the stomach. He was fevered, but not as much as Dick had been.

"Knife or bullet?" she asked Scarlet, looking at the wound that had penetrated the stomach.

"Knife." Scarlet's answer was curt.

"He'll be okay, thanks to the field medicine you did," responded Ella, trying to reassure herself as much as Scarlet. Major Samuels had sent the last few scouts to the left hand tent, so the line was gone. "I'll take Bo to surgery."

Two hours later, while Ella was tending the wounded, Major Martin brought Bo into her territory. "All stitched up, according to your orders, Ma'am," he said, bowing slightly. "I would have put him with the other surgical cases, but I thought you would want him to be under your care."

"Thank you," replied Ella. "I've got another half-dozen in here who are likely to survive."

"Have you got enough helpers to tend to everyone?"

"Yes. Once the scouts have rested, a few of them will be here to assist."

[Scarlet Angel]

Before they carried Bo off Scarlet reached down and kissed his cheek. "When you come back will go some place that will make you smile." She whispered.

Bo looked over at her as they rode. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him watching. The way he looked at her caused her to blush and giggle.

Bo smiled. He'd only known her a short time but she was the most enchanting creature he knew. Her laugh had the power to lift his soul.

"Some one told me you have enchanted me." He said.

She flashed a mischievous smile. "If I told you I cast a spell on you the day I saw you would believe me?"

"Yes."

"Would you be mad?"

"No, how long will this spell of yours last."

"Your heart is mine until I release it." She smiled again her dark eyes twinkling.

Bo reached out and took the rein of her horse pulling them close he leaned over and kissed her. She returned his kiss passionately.

She loved him but they had been courting only a short time. She had been told her feelings were just a passing emotion; one could not fall so hard so fast but she didn't believe it.

Bo saw the sad expression cross her face before she smiled at him again.

"Have I done something to upset you?"

"No, I just don't look forward to the day you ride away and forget this moment in time."

"If you are any good at enchanting men I will never forget this moment in time." His lips spread into a wide smile.

"Don't be a tease."

"Scarlet says spells are serious, I shouldn't take it lightly."

She turned her head away and blushed again.

"I will release you and you will be free to go."

"Maybe I like what you've done."  He said stealing another kiss.

"You best be careful doing such things. What if we are caught?"
"What if we are caught?" Bo grinned.

"You are a hard man to resist Bo Corbin, a devil too, and I think my spell back fired and you have enchanted me." She teased.

"You shouldn't tell a man he has that sort of power over you." He winked.

It was her who stole the kiss this time before laughing and kicking her horse into a gallop.

Bo chuckled, he could hear her laughter fill the air as her horse ran along the trail. He moved his horse in pursuit.

He was gaining on her when she pushed a low branch out of the way. The limb swung back and caught Bo in the chest and shoulders knocking him from his horse.

He lay there on his back thinking of getting up, dusting off and pursuing her again when he heard her call.

"Bo are you alright?"

He could hear her horse's hoof beats approaching.

Bo laid still playing opossum.

He could hear her voice as she dismounted and came towards him. "Bo?"

She kneeled over him and put her hand on his chest. He could feel her face close to his.

"Bo, are you hurt bad?"

"Only one thing can help me."  He whispered.

"Tell me." She said placing her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Marry me."

"Oh yes." She said softly brushing her lips across his.

Bo put his arm around her and pulled her tight to him kissing her passionately.