The Cowboy's Lady

Chapter 34 The Bog

David, Greg. Jerome and Nat had just settled into comfortable seats in the library and David was about to light a cigar when they were disturbed by the scrambling of feet and an uncharacteristic loud frantic knock. David was about to utter "come," when the door burst open. Nevil, Sean and two of the grooms were standing there all of them breathless from running.

"The horses are back!" one of the grooms said.

"That was a brief ride," Nat said.

"The horses are back," Sean said, "not the Ladies!" David rose quickly as did the others.

"Please saddle our horses," the grooms nodded and left. "Sean, my six guns and saddle rifle please."

"I'm coming to Major!" Sean said. David nodded.

"Do you think all this is necessary?" Nat said, "the horses may have just wandered off."

"I would rather error in caution," David said.

"I'm coming too!" Nat said.

"I would appreciate your help, take one of my guns."

"Should we tell Nat everything?" Jerome asked.

"No time for that. We need to ride hard." They walked to the stables and saw that all their horses were ready. David and Sean put their saddle rifles into the scabbard and buckled on their gun belts. David checked each gun then passed them out. Then he gave each of the men a handful of bullets for their pockets. The Marquess walked into the stable.

"What's happening?"

"We're on a rescue mission, pray for us Dad," David said then he and his horse wheeled around and and galloped out of the coral.

"Do you know where they were headed?" Nat asked.

"Yes." In moments the horses were at a full out run as the raced to the pleasant meadow Emeleth loved to frequent. When they arrived the picnic basket sat on the blanket that was spread on the ground. The tethering line that David had set up was cut. Then they saw the bodies. A large man lay on his back with a bullet wound to his forehead. A second man further into the woods had expired from a wound to his back and a third was crawling away with chest wound near his shoulder. David recognized him as Stephen Greene his former lawyer. David tried to question the man. When at first he refused to respond to questions David knelt on the wound and pressed on it to cause pain but Steven just laughed.

"You're a little late for the party, they're most likely dead by now," Stephen gasped then expired.

"LOOK!" Sean said pointing. The group of men gasped as the saw the woman walking gingerly across the bog. They were well out into the bog traveling very close to the lake. Then they noticed seven men pursuing then and closing the gap. One man was within ten feet of Emeleth when she turned and shot him point blank and the man fell.

"Thats my Em," David whispered.

"We can't catch them before their overtaken," Sean said, "and if we shoot form here we are bound to hit them."

"I know where they are headed. It's a long run going around the lake but we have horses and no one knows we are coming."

David took a few seconds to watch the women flee then mounted his horse and they were off.

*****

The women walked carefully on the bog. The surface was soft and wet and moved wave like to mark their progress. Smoke led and Amanda was in second place and Emeleth held up the rear. They had crossed nearly a quarter of the bog and were within two hundred feet of Quaking Lake. The men were moving faster following a course farther from the lake. They heard a man yelling curses and saw William jumping and yelling.

"He must of stepped on the snake," Emeleth said. Then William broke through the moss covering the bog and disappeared. The other men froze in their steps.

"Where did Pa go?" Amanda asked.

"He's gone Mandy, he fell through...he's gone." Emeleth was not quite sure she knew what she felt. He was after all her Pa, but she only felt hollow inside, and terrified for herself and her companions. They simply looked away and continued their desperate flight. Finding himself on firmer ground another man increased his pace. Emeleth watched surreptitiously as he approached. Then when he was less from ten feet from her she turned and fired. The bullet struck the man in mid chest and he fell and within seconds he too plunged through the moss and mud and disappeared.

"When I stand still I start to sink," Kim observed.

"We got to keep moving," Emeleth said, "Davey will find us.. Mandy how you doing?"

"Smoke is leading us just fine Em. How's your leg?

"I'm thinking it hurts but I'm too scared to tell."

"How many bullets you got left?" Amanda asked. Emeleth paused to stopped and examined her revolver.

"Two and my derringer in my purse."

They reached the firm ground of the hill long before the the men. Buy skirting the bog closer to the lake they lessened the distance they needed to travel. They reached the wooded hill side when the men were only slightly over half way across. "What do we do now Em?
Jenny asked.

"Catch our breath and then head for the sod cutters hut. We can make a stand there."

The horses were wet with sweat as they ran like the wind. David could see the bog now and again through the trees that gave them cover. The girls were nowhere to be seen on the bog but the men where. "Let's cut those bastards down!" David said as he unsheathed his rife then he, Jerome and Sean open fire and shot dead the last six of the young women's kidnappers. Nat had not waited but continued toward the hut. Then they heard a scream and and the loud report of a revolver. David spurred his horse toward the cabin. Nat arrived and saw Sidney standing holding Steph buy her waist with a knife to her throat. A small trickle of blood flowed from her throat as she struggled trying to push his knife hand away. The other women had him surrounded all of them were holding their pistols pointing them up. A huge man was sitting on the ground in obvious pain clutching his stomach, blood flowed between his fingers.

"Let me get to my horse and I'll let the little slut go," Sidney shouted.

"I don't trust you," Emeleth said, "throw down your knife first."

"So you can shoot me like you did Sam?"

"I shot Sam," Amanda said defiantly, "and I sure as hell will shoot you too."

"They won't shoot you brother," Nat said, "but I damn will!" Sidney looked surprised to see his brother suddenly there.

"Let's be reasonable," Sidney said, "I'll let her go and you'll let me go." Nat looked at Emeleth and she nodded. The women placed their guns on the ground and stood away. "Now bring me my horse Nat and I'll give you the girl." Sidney and Nat moved slowly to the little coral. David and the other men arrived late and were still on horseback but remained unseen by Sidney. Sidney removed the knife from Stephanie's throat and shoved her roughly toward Nat and jumped on his horse. She stumbled forward and fell. Nat rushed to her lifting her into his arms. "You fool, this won't stop me, I'll be back." Then he spurred his horse laughing like a hyena and was off.

"Emeleth, you OK?" David said. She nodded, "this has got to end I'll be right back."

"I'm coming to," Nat said, "he's my brother." David nodded and they rode off in pursuit.