Molly’s first instinct was to run. She immediately turned on her heels and bolted for the door. The shadows came alive. The man flew from his hiding spot and raced after her catching her just before Molly’s outstretched hand could reach the door handle.

Molly screamed in terror as the man jerked her back away from the door. She spun around and starred wide horror filled eyes at the man who gripped her arm.

His long black hair fell down his back and his dark eyes flashed as he spoke, his French/Indian accent held a threatening tone.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Molly’s body shook with fear; she was unable to speak, she just stared at him.

Then from behind the man another figure appeared. The figure of a woman, one Molly had seen before. She spoke with the same kind of French/Indian accent as the man did and her tone sounded just as threatening.

“Vous l'effrayant, dégagez Gabe.”

The man turned and said something back in the same dialect.

Cheyenne stepped forward and jerked him away from Molly. Seeing an opportunity Molly wasted no time in trying for the door again. This time Cheyenne took hold of her arm.

“No one will hurt you.” she told her. “But I can not let you leave. Not yet.”

Molly still trembled but managed to get her vocal cords working.

“Wh. . . why are you here?” She asked in a trembling voice.

Cheyenne looked at the girl cautiously. “Josiah was to speak with your father. Did he not?”

Molly shook her head slowly. “I, I don’t know”

Cheyenne looked at Gabe and let a sigh escape her before she spoke to him in their French dialect. Both looked concerned and Molly guessed their conversation was about her. It was evident that she was as much a surprise to them as they had been to her.

Cheyenne’s tone softened when she spoke again to Molly.

“Do not be afraid. No one will harm you.” She told her then flashed a glare at Gabe.

Molly’s heavy breathing was steady and her fear did not subside.

“What are you doing here?” Molly asked trying to pull away from the half-breed girl she had tried to befriend not so long ago.

“Promise me you will not run and I will let go of you.” Cheyenne told her. “Promise Me,” she insisted more sternly.

Molly nodded reluctantly.

Cheyenne loosened her grip on the girl and finally let go of her arm.

“You haven’t answered my question.” Molly spat with an irritated tone.

“You need to know nothing.” Gabe growled glaring hard at her.

Cheyenne stepped between the two and shoved Gabe away spouting something in French angrily.

Gabe flashed Cheyenne a disgusted look and moved only a few steps away from the two.

“It is a long story Molly, one you have no need to know. But, no one must know we are here. Josiah was to speak with your father. He told us no one would be here.”

“Are you in some kind of trouble?” Molly asked, “my father will be coming back for me you know. If he finds you here..," she stopped mid-sentence.

Gabe and Cheyenne shared a concerned glance.

“Then we will do what we must.” Gabe said putting a hand on his gun.

Molly’s fear intensified. “Cheyenne, please, don’t let him hurt my father. I’ll do anything you say. Just please, don’t let him kill my father.” She begged.

Cheyenne put a hand on the young girl’s shoulder. “No one will die.” She told her and flashed Gabe another warning glare.

The stage rolled into Four Corners along the dusty street stopping not far from the hotel. Judge Travis stepped off the stage and looked around. Mary came up to him only minutes later. They greeted each other fondly.

“Now, tell me.” The judge said as he retrieved his baggage from the stage driver. “What is this desperate problem you wrote about?”

Mary sighed “Let's get you settled then I’ll get Chris. He can tell you more than I can.” She answered as the two walked toward the hotel.

Buck and JD were sitting outside the saloon. They watched as Mary walked with the judge to the hotel.

“How do you think he’s gonna take us breaking the law like that and pulling Cheyenne from the hangmans noose?” JD asked, his tone echoed his concern.

“Well," Buck answered as he leaned back in his chair. “I’ll bet he ain’t gonna be too happy about it. But once he hears what happened I don’t think he’ll go to hard on us.”

“I sure hope your right.” JD said the worry he felt clearly visible in his features.

Buck smiled to himself and could not resist the chance to feed on the boy’s fear.

“Then again,” he sighed smiling to himself as he pulled his hat down over his eyes. “He might just hang us all along side Cheyenne.”

JD glared at him knowing he was trying to scare him and slapped the man's hat off of him. “That ain’t funny Buck.”

Buck chuckled and reached down to pick up his hat when another coach came into town. This one a private coach escorted by at least eight riders. One man sported a silver star on his vest. The badge of a sheriff.

The coach stopped in front of the hotel and a young well-dressed man stepped out and held the door open while he helped an older woman to step out. She was dressed in a black silk dress and a black hat with a sheer black veil covering her face.

The troop walked into the hotel and the young man made arrangements for a room adjoining, his mother's.

“Ah oh,” JD muttered recognizing the sheriff from Coyote Springs. “That looks like trouble.”

Buck’s smiled left his face as he saw what JD was seeing.

“I think you're right kid. We best go let Chris know.” The two hurried off to find Chris.