The Outlaw

Chapter Two

One month earlier

Oklahoma May 1879

"Daddy, there are horses coming!" Gregory said running into the house his twelve year old cheeks flushed with fear. "The men don't look friendly!" Norman Baker stood up from the table where he had been playing peek-a-boo with his two year old son and he looked at his wife.

"You and the kids get in the bedroom and lock that door. Don't open it for anybody!" he ordered. She obeyed him without question and led Caroline, Gregory, Jasmine and Tommy into the bedroom.

Caroline hugged Jasmine tight in her arms as they sat on the bed and wondered what was going to happen.

"We need a bite to eat." a cold gravely voice said from outside.

"I'm afraid I have nothing to offer." she heard her father reply.

"Don't lie to us sir or we'll just kill you and come in and take your food anyway." Caroline looked over at her mother who was simply sitting there with her bible in her hands and her head bowed. Tommy was only two years old and too young to realize anything was wrong but Gregory's eyes were blazing with anger.

"We have to help daddy." he whispered, but Caroline, the oldest at nineteen, shook her head and signaled for him to be quiet.

"Come on in." her father finally replied. Caroline listened to the sound of the men piling into the tiny kitchen and living room. She could only guess how many there were but it sounded like at least ten or more.

She listened to the sounds of her mothers organized and tidy cabinets being slammed open and shut the and the sound of many men eating and talking about vulgar things that made Caroline blush with embarrassment and shiver with fear at the same time. These were certainly not good men.

Caroline moved away from the bed to look out the small window. She pulled the corner of the checked curtain back and saw a man standing outside of the house. She wondered why he hadn't come in with the others. He looked angry as he paced back and forth across the grass covered lawn. Caroline couldn't help but look him up and down as she watched him. He was tall and lean. He was dressed all in black. His pants, his long sleeved shirt, his vest, even his stetson hat was black.

She nearly cried out when he looked up and his eyes met hers. He was handsome she noticed. His face was tan, with a long straight nose, strong jaw and dark eyes that were currently looking into her own.

She knew she was in trouble. This man was sure to tell the others that she was in this room and then they would kill them all or worse…. Caroline shuddered when she thought of what outlaws did to helpless women and children.

She saw his eyes widen with surprise and then she was certain she saw fear enter them. She wondered what he had to be afraid of. She lost sight of him as he walked around the house and she heard his boots come into the kitchen.

"We gotta get going." She heard him say.

"Why is that? Did you see someone?" The voice that had first spoken to her father asked.

"No but it won't be long before a posse heads this way after what you did back in that town." the dark stranger replied.

"We did son. You might not of killed anybody but you stood by and let it happen and that means they'll have a noose for your neck too."

"All the more reason we need to hightail it the hell outta here then don't you think?" the dark stranger asked angrily.

"Why do you keep looking at the door over there, old man?" the first voice asked. "You ain't got a wife hid in there do ya? You holding out on us poor starving outlaws?"