Joshua rode up to the Macready cabin trying hard not to damage the bouquet of wildflowers he had picked for Katie. As he rounded the bend in the road he noticed Biddie standing on the stoop reading something. She looked up as she heard him approach. "Oh, Joshua, I’m so glad you’re here.’

    "What’s wrong Biddie?"

    "Katie’s gone."

    "Well, maybe she went to the logging camp."

    Biddie shook her head handing him the note. Joshua placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as he read Kate’s words.

    "The Hobbs brothers are still out there. If they should find her…" The girl’s eyes were filled with concern.

    "Don’t worry Biddie, she can’t have gotten far. Do you have any idea which way she went?"

    "Well, she’s been to Auburn, and Tacoma, and Shelbyville….oh, I just don’t know."

    "Biddie, you keep a light on for her. We’ll bring her home." The young man gave his friend a confident wink before seeing her into the cabin. On his way back to town, he wrestled with his emotions. Kate would have been upset if she’d overheard Lucy and Maude that morning, but why would she disappear without a word, especially to him?

     Suddenly a new thought occurred to him. Maybe kissing her last night was the worst thing he could have done. Kate might have needed the comfort of a brother last night and he had offered her romantic love instead. What if he had misread her feelings and she did not love him that way at all? But why hadn’t she told him instead of running away?

    Jason, Jeremy and Aaron were together in the Bolt cabin looking over Joshua’s blueprints for the new dormitory. Joshua entered, tossed Kate’s note on the table and briefly explained the situation. The men divided up and headed out on every road that led out of Seattle. Jason and Aaron went south, Corky and Swede, east and Joshua and Jeremy to the north.

    The younger Bolt brothers searched the thick woods for any sign of the girl. They rode silently for most of the afternoon until Joshua’s confusion, hurt and frustration exploded from him like a gushing well. "Why are we searching for her? If she wants to leave Seattle we should just let her leave! She’s never going to be happy here. She only came here to start a paper and now that it’s gone up in smoke she doesn’t have the spunk to pick up the pieces and start over again. That paper was all that mattered to her."

    Jeremy let his brother rave on without interruption until he ran out of steam. "I don’t think Cricket ought to leave without knowing that you’re in love with her."

    "Me? In love with that brat?"

    "Yep." Jeremy’s smile dared him to deny it.

     Joshua would have given anything to be able to say that his brother was wrong. "A fat lot of good it does me now. She doesn’t love me."

    "How do you know?"

    "I kissed her last night."

     Jeremy was amused by the thought. "A real kiss, or..."

    "A real kiss," Josh answered impatiently, "and she returned it. But then, she pulled away as if I’d stolen something from her. It was all a mistake."

    "Was it?" Jeremy asked quietly.

    "It must have been. She’s left town hasn’t she? Never even said good-bye."

    Jeremy felt for his brother. "Josh, I don’t know why Katie left but Candy and I are pretty convinced that she’s in love with you, too."

    "She sure has a strange way of showing it." He rode in silence again then blurted. "If we find her, I don’t know if I’ll kiss her or drown her."

    His brother laughed at the contrast. "Then I hope Jason’s the one to find her."

    Jeremy’s wish was heard and answered.

    Kate rode on to Tacoma with as few stops as possible. Her plan was to book passage to San Francisco on the first stage out of town and then, after she’d secured a position on the Register, wire Seattle and tell everyone how happy she was working in the big city. The girl knew it would be the biggest lie she ever concocted but if everyone were to live happily ever after, it was one she’d have to live with.

    Her plan would have succeeded if it weren’t for Scotty. The horse stumbled badly in a chuckhole as he galloped along the road. Katie dismounted to check his right foreleg. Scotty’s fetlock was swollen but as far as Kate could tell, he hadn’t broken a bone. He needed to rest it and soak the sprain in the cool waters of the mountain stream. The afternoon sun was sinking closer to the horizon. They wouldn’t be going any farther that day. Katie had to find a secluded place for them to spend the night.

    She led the limping animal off the main trail and into a clearing by a stream where soft grass grew on a small incline. Here, both horse and rider would be hidden from travelers on the road. Unless someone knew about the place, Kate was sure they could be on their way to Tacoma undetected before the sun rose the next morning. The girl unsaddled her horse and watched as Scottie ate and drank deeply. Katie filled her canteen but reprimanded herself for forgetting to bring food along with her. She ignored her growling stomach, pushed her hat over her eyes and leaned back against the saddle to rest for just an hour or so.

    Three hours later, Jason and Aaron rode up to the very same spot. "The tracks end here, Jason." Stempel pointed toward the ground. "See the shoe prints?"

    Jason nodded in relief. "They’re about the size of a Cricket, I’d say."

    Aaron grinned, "There are advantages to her being a city girl. She hasn’t learned to cover her tracks, at least not on a dusty trail."

    "Let’s go get her."

    The men pushed through the brush and found Scotty standing like a sentinel over his mistress who was fast asleep. The girl was so exhausted she never heard the men approach.

   "We can camp here and take her back in the morning." Aaron suggested.

   "We’ll have to be sure we wake before she does or she’ll be gone again."

   "We could tie a bell around her neck." Aaron joked pulling a saddle blanket over the girl.

   "That just might work."

    The men fixed themselves some dinner and discussed how they were going to convince Katie to return to Seattle. Jason decided on the big brotherly approach while Aaron thought that appealing to her business sense would be best. They doused the fire and bedded down for the night; grateful they had found the prodigal at last.

    When Kate’s eyes opened at sunrise she pushed back her hat and saw Jason and Aaron standing over her. "Good morning, Cricket," Jason greeted. Katie groaned, angry with herself for falling asleep.

   "We’ve made breakfast for you, Katie," Aaron added gently, "It’s a long ride back."

    "I’m not going back," she replied firmly.

    "Why not?" Aaron asked, restraining Jason with one hand. The logger had decided to toss her up on his horse and ride back with her if she resisted.

    "Because..." Katie wished with all her heart that she could find the courage to tell them everything. "because...I’m going back to San Francisco. Dan says he can get me on the Register. There’s so much work to do there and..." She forced the words from her by sheer will power. "I have nothing left in Seattle."

    "Nothing?" Jason allowed her to hear the hurt in his voice.

    She stood up and began saddling Scotty. She didn’t dare face him. "The paper is gone. You and Josh have the lumber camp to run. Jeremy and Candy will be busy with married life...I need to have something to do, Jason."

    "Listen, Kaitlyn Macready," Jason followed behind her. "You are one-fourth owner of Bridal Veil Mountain and family decisions need to be made. The news office will be rebuilt. You’ve convinced us that we need a paper and we need an editor who knows her stuff. We want the one we hired." Jason took the bridle from Kate’s hand. "Apart from all that, people who love each other do not disappear and leave others to worry about them. You’ve got the entire town out searching for you, young lady, and praying for your safe return. Now, you may not want to live with them, but you are going back with us to say good-bye. After you do that, you can go where ever you want with our blessing."

    Kate said nothing. If only he understood that she was doing them all a favor by leaving it would make this a lot easier. She swung herself into the saddle and looked down the trail to Tacoma. Jason watched her, unaware of the great struggle going on within her.

    "Katie, if you head down that road, I will stop you before you get half a mile. Now you can save us all the struggle and ride with me, or can we trust you to return home on your own horse?"

    The girl flashed an angry look at him before urging Scottie back toward Seattle.

   "She’ll take the next stage out of town, Bolt." Aaron predicted.

    "If she wants to leave us that badly, there’s nothing we can do. But I’m hoping she’ll tell us what’s troubling her before she disappears again."

    The three travelers arrived in Seattle that evening. It had been a silent journey for them all.

    Lottie saw them ride up and came out on the porch to greet them. Jeremy and Candy followed, relieved to see the girl in one piece. Joshua remained at the bar unsure of what to do or say.

    "I’m sorry I worried you. I was fine." Katie apologized softly. "Is there a room I might have for tonight, Lottie? I’m too tired to go back up to my cabin now."

    "Yes, honey. Megan found a place with Franny until the new dormitory is built. You can have her room."

    The group moved into the saloon to get out of the damp air. Katie saw Joshua standing at the bar with his back to her. His heart urged him to turn around and embrace her, but his damaged pride froze him to the spot. Likewise Katie’s heart told her to go to him and yet, she reasoned, if he were angry with her, it would be easier for them both when she finally did get away. Kate hurried up the stairs without a word.

    "Well, she’s back safe and sound." Jeremy sighed. "I’m beat. Candy let me take you back up to the cabin." He looked at his brothers. "I’ll see you at home, later?"

    "That’s fine, Jeremy." Jason agreed.

    "Where did you find her?" Joshua finally asked after the couple left.

    "Ten miles outside of Tacoma. She was on her way to San Francisco."

    Joshua nodded in thought. "Did she say where she was going?"

    Aaron and Jason shared a glance. Jason answered, "She was heading for San Francisco."

    Joshua downed his drink. "She’s quitting all because of a fire and maybe because of some scrawny old prunes who disagree with her. I thought she was stronger than that. I thought we...," the young man stopped cold. "When are you sailing, Clancey?"

    "Tomorrow morning at first light. The wind’s been up, lad, we’ll run into rough sea’s this time of year."

    "Rough or not, she won’t be happy until she’s away from us. I want to be the one to make sure she gets what she wants. I’ll be at the dock at dawn. How about you, Lottie?"

   "I think it’s a big mistake but I’ll go," she sighed.

   "Would you ask Katie to be ready in the morning?"

   "Of course."

    Lottie poured Clancey another drink after the others had left. He took it from her saying, "Everyone’s always givin’ Kate what she wants. If that lass were my daughter, I’d be up there right now makin’ sure she was gettin’ what she really needs. Runnin’ away from us like that! What was she thinking?"

    Lottie ignored him and headed for the stairs.

   "Where you goin’, darlin’?"

   "To find out what she was thinkin’."

    Clancey raised his glass to wish her luck.

    Lottie knocked softly on Kate’s door. There was a long pause before Kate opened it.

   "Yes, Lottie?"

   "Katie, Josh wanted me to ask you to be ready to sail with Clancey at first light."

    "Why?"

    "He wants to take you to San Francisco to get away from things for a while. I’m coming too. We’ll make a holiday of it, doesn’t that sound fun?"

    "We’re going for a holiday?"

    "That’s what he planned for you this morning before you left. Now he wants to be the one to see that you go where ever you’ll be happy."

    Kate’s eyes closed. This was getting so complicated.

   "Would you like to talk, honey?"

   "Three weeks ago no one could have paid me enough to leave," she murmured. "Things haven’t worked out the way I’d hoped and, well, I need to get back to being a reporter for an established paper. I’ll sail with Clancey in the morning. Would you tell Joshua he doesn’t have to go with me? I can take care of myself."

    Lottie was losing patience with the girl. "If you can take care of yourself, then you can tell him yourself," she said firmly.

    Kate’s eyes widened in surprise at her tone.

    "Joshua has bent over backward to make you feel at home here from the day you first arrived. I think he deserves an explanation from you." She softened just a bit. "Don’t you agree?"

    Kate looked away. One sight of those trusting blue eyes of Joshua’s and her careful plans would all unravel. He had to believe she wasn’t the girl he thought she was. It was for his own good.

    "I don’t mind if he comes. I’ll be ready in the morning. Good-night." Kate stepped back into the room and closed the door.

    Lottie shook her fist at the he door in frustration. Male or female, these Scots were a stubborn lot.