Innocence Lost

Chapter 5

Before they had a chance to ride out of camp, Strauss came running over.

"Mr Morgan," he shouted, "if you are heading out, I have a debtor who I need you to persuade to pay up, a Mr Downes, just outside Valentine."

Dutch sighed, and turned to Strauss.

"Really, Herr Strauss. Can't you see we're busy," he said. "Have a word with one of the other boys, John or Micah. They can do this just as well."

Arthur turned to Strauss, "word of warning though, if you get Micah to go, tell him just to rough 'em up a bit, otherwise he's likely to put a bullet in their head!"

With that, the two men rode off down the track.

Dutch turned to Arthur, "I wish you two boys would get along. Micah isn't that bad."

Arthur Grunted, "You wouldn't say that, if you'd heard what he said about Miss Rowan earlier today." Arthur rolled his eyes.

Dutch looked at Arthur, slightly perturbed, but let it pass.

It was only a short ride into Valentine, which they took at a steady trot. Dutch decided that there wasn't really any point pushing the horses too hard, as they were only after information, and it was unlikely that they'd turn up in Valentine, to find Maxwell Rowan standing there.

Arthur looked at Dutch, "have we got anything to go on, or are we just clutching at straws here?" He asked.

Dutch sighed, "you seriously think we would be riding out, if I didn't have something to go on?"

Arthur shrugged. He felt Dutch had been a little preoccupied with the girl, but didn't think that now was the time to mention it.

"What do we know then?" he asked.

Dutch looked at Arthur, "I found out, with a little probing that Ella..Miss Rowan, has no family except her father. Mother died when she was young, no siblings," he said.

He pulled out the note, and read it aloud.

"This is a legal document to confirm that I, Maxwell Rowan do pass legal guardianship of my Daughter Ella Rowan, to Colm O'Driscoll for the sum of $50."

Dutch put the not, back in his pocket, "only a legal guardian could do that. So, as the last names are the same, that has to mean family, with no brothers, its got to mean father." He added.

Arthur frowned, "well it could be an Uncle, I suppose." He thought for a moment longer.

He looked across at Dutch, "If he signed her across as legal guardian, then she's got to be younger than we thought."

Dutch thought for a second. "Well how young?" He asked.

Arthur scratched his head. "I dunno, probably younger than 18 or 21," he laughed. "Maybe you should have asked her how old she was, you haven't done..." He didn't get a chance to finish the sentence.

"Arthur!" he exclaimed, "of course not, I'm not some monster, she's barely been conscious for the last 3 days," he paused, "anyway, he might have lied to Colm, just to get the $50. If he's willing to sell his daughter for $50, he'd be willing to lie!"

Arthur nodded. "Sounds like a piece of work, if you ask me."

Dutch nodded.

When they arrived in Valentine, they hitched the horses outside the saloon.

Dutch looked at Arthur, "I guess this is as good a place as any, to start."