DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters, locations or situations depicted in the "Bordertown" series. I do own all characters, locations and storylines that I create from my own imagination. Please don't steal.




Mountain Bride

by Robin G.



Though the sun was shining on that October morning, the cool chill in the air made Marshal Jack Craddock shiver as he stood in the doorway of the law enforcement office looking out at the main street of Bordertown. It was still early yet and the town was just beginning to come alive.

Jack closed the door and strode back across the squeaky floorboards to his desk. �Sure is a cold mornin�, Bennett�, he said, while blowing hot breath on his painfully cold hands.

�Actually, Jack, I find it rather refreshing�, Corporal Clive Bennett said, sitting at his own desk at the back of the office, finishing up some paperwork.

�Figured ya would�, Jack said, under his breath.

Jack sat down at his desk, which was covered in a pile of crumpled papers and thick dust, and took a long gulp of bitter coffee from a dented and tarnished tin cup. Just then, the door flew open and Lucy burst in. Jack looked up from over the rim of his cup, alarmed by the look of panic on her face.

Quickly rising to his feet, Clive hurried to her side. �What is it, Lucy?� .

Trying to catch her breath, Lucy looked up at the tall Mountie, and with a sob in her throat, said, �It�s Marie! She�s gone!�

Clive�s heart dropped in his chest. �Lucy. Are you sure about this?�

�I looked everywhere for her!� Lucy said nodding her head.

Trying to keep his composure, Clive asked, �Do you suppose that she might be visiting one of her patients? I know that Harvey Green�s wife is expecting.�

�Her medical bag is still sitting on the table where she left it. She would never make a house call without it,� Lucy replied. �And her coat is still hanging in the hall. I�.I�.went up into her bedroom and�..saw glass all over the floor. It was from the window�.. and�.and�. there was blood�.oh Corporal! I�m so afraid. Afraid that something terrible has happened to her.� The child broke down in tears and buried her head against Clive�s strong chest.

�Don�t be afraid. We will find Marie. I promise� Clive assured her.

Lucy drew a deep breath and wiped the moisture from her eyes. �I hope so.�

Clive made eye contact with Jack. Without saying a word, they each knew what the other was thinking.

Silently observing the situation, Jack ran tanned fingers through his greasy, dark hair. So many thoughts were going through his mind just now. What could possibly have happened to her? Where was she? He had already lost one woman in his life, he wasn�t ready to lose another. Trying not to let his emotions get the best of him, he cleared his throat and said, �I�ll saddle up the horses.� Grabbing his rifle from the rack, he made his way out the door, his eyes focused, as if he meant business.

Clive knelt down and looked into Lucy�s face. �I want you to go over and stay with Sally until we return. Do you hear me?�

Lucy nodded, her eyes wide with fear.

Standing straight, Clive retrieved his hat from the desk and slipped a loaded pistol into the belt on his hip. There was no time to waste. They needed to find Marie.

* * * * * * *


Bringing his horse to a halt at the edge of a rocky cliff, Jack squinted as he looked out upon the wide open countryside and scanned the horizon. The sun was now beginning to go down behind the far off purplish blue mountains, casting the last few dappled rays of its golden light across the forest and bringing out the brilliant reds and oranges and yellows of the fall foliage.

�Gonna be dark soon an� we ain�t got no lanterns to guide our way. Best head back now and git some. We�re gonna need �em.�

�Wait a minute, Jack! I think I may have found something!� Clive said, dismounting his horse and walking over toward a clump of bushes. �A hair ribbon,� he said, picking it up from amid the leaves and caressing it with his fingers. �It could be one of Marie�s.�

Taking off his hat, Jack used the back of his arm to wipe away the beads of sweat on his forehead. �I do believe you�re right, Bennett. Looks like we might be headed in the right direction.�

Clive nodded. �I think so�.

�Forget the lanterns,� Jack said. �We�ve gotta move on without �em�.

After spending an entire day going house to house, questioning the townsfolk and tirelessly searching the roads and woods surrounding Bordertown without even so much as a trace of information leading to Marie�s whereabouts, the sight of this ribbon somehow renewed hope in both their hearts.

The lawmen snapped the reigns and whirled their horses toward the narrow trail leading through the woods and into the foothills. The men continued in silence, as the sun slipped below the horizon, their eyes intent on the trail ahead and their thoughts drifting to Marie, hoping that she was safe and unharmed.

On they traveled, as dusk settled in and stars speckled the sky like a million tiny diamonds. The night air was bone chilling and the horses breathed heavily as they proceeded up steep inclines, down rocky ravines and through the deep woods. The trail was rough and and there was only the moonlight to guide them as they rode along.

�Look over there, Jack!� Clive said, breaking the long silence between them. He was pointing in the direction of the far off hills, where a cloud of smoke was noticeably rising from amid the trees. �A campfire.�

�That�s what it is alright,� Jack said in his gravelly voice. �Let�s go check it out.�

When they reached a small clearing in the foothills, they dismounted and tied their horses to the branch of a nearby spruce. The campfire was just beyond the next hill. Together, they stepped lightly over the broken branches and twigs along the way, careful not to draw attention to their presence. Jack held a tight grip on his rifle, as he lead the way toward the smoldering fire. The closer they got, the more apprehension they felt. There was no telling who might be camping there.

Peeking through the trees, the men could see the silhouette of someone sitting alone by the fire. Nearly breathless from their long journey, both men swallowed hard, wondering if the small figure sitting in the glow of the burning embers was Marie. For a brief moment, each of them believed that they had finally found her, but it was not so, for a closer look revealed the rugged features of an old man. Probably a hobo. Disappointment and discouragement was visible on both of their faces, they stepped out from behind the trees and approached the old man.

�Who�s there?� the toothless and unshaven man called out through the darkness.

�Howdy,� Jack said, as he walked up to the man. �We �pologize fer sneakin� up on ya, Sir, but the Corporal here an� I are lookin� fer a missin� lady from Bordertown. Wonderin� if ya might�ve seen her.�

Clive cut in and added, �Her name is Marie and she has long blonde hair and blue eyes.� A picture of her beautiful face entered his mind.

Rubbing his fingers over the bristles on his chin, the old man looked up at the lawmen and shook his head. �Nope. Ain�t seen no ladies �round these parts.�

Jack rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. �We�d sure �preciate it if ya�d keep a look out fer her.�

��Course I will, Sonny. Iffen I be seein� her, I�ll be lettin� ya know.�

�Thank you,� Clive joined in and said politely, �We�ll be on our way now.� He tipped his hat and then walked with Jack back toward the woods.

�Sure you fellers won�t set a spell �an git some of this here grub �efore ya head back out on the trail?� the old man called out. He was referring to the fish and beans which he had been cooking on a skillet.

�That�s mighty kind of ya, but we��..� Jack�s voice trailed off. His eyes were fixed on the old man�s left hand where a piece of white cloth was wrapped like a bandage. It appeared to be stained with blood. Staring pensively at the man�s wounded hand, a million thoughts ran through his mind all at once. His head was practically spinning. �We gotta be goin�,� Jack continued, his voice low.

As he walked alongside Clive, he thought back to a few moments earlier when he was almost sure that he heard something stirring in the woods behind the old man�..and�..heard what sounded like a muffled cry. Those sounds along with the sight of the man�s injured hand, made Jack feel uneasy.

As soon as the men reached the clearing, Jack turned to Clive and said in almost a whisper, �That codger�s got her, Clive!�

�Don�t be silly, Jack. You heard the man. He hasn�t seen her.� Clive said, as he untied the tether and mounted his horse.

��An I s�pose you believe him?�

�There is no reason why I should not believe him.�

�You gone loco? All the signs are there ta prove that he�s in on this. I saw a fresh wound on his hand, Clive. Was still bleedin�. Prob�ly happened when he broke the window at Marie�s house.�

�Just because the man has a cut on his hand does not mean that he kidnapped Marie.�

�Also heard some noises comin� from the woods,� Jack added. �Lands sake, Clive! I tell ya, he�s got Marie!�

�We�ve wasted enough time here. Are you coming?� Clive asked, growing impatient with Jack.

�Yer a mule, Clive. Didn�t you see the bandage? It was torn from a ladies dress and there was a ribbon tied �round it. Same as the ribbon you found on the trail. Tell me Clive. What man carries ladies ribbons with him?�

Clive could feel the color flush from his face. He had doubted Jack, but had now come to realize that his partner could be right.

�Well, I�m not gonna stand �round barkin� at a knot, I�m gonna git Marie outta there � supposin� I gotta do it alone,� Jack said, his jaw tight and his teeth clenched.

�Wait, Jack!� Clive said, letting go of his pride. �I�m going with you�.

* * * * * * *


They had come so close to finding her and were standing only a few feet away. Marie had made every possible effort to break loose from the grip of strong hands, which held her, and tried with all her power to scream, despite the rag, which was tied tightly over her mouth, but it was no use. The man holding her was far too strong, she could not escape. Her attempt at screaming was pointless, for it was muffled by the rag and was obviously not loud enough for Clive and Jack to hear. Before she knew it, they were gone and she had failed to draw their attention to the cluster of bushes, where she was being held against her will. Now, she was back on her own again, at the mercy of these two crude mountain men.

�Are the fellers gone yet, Pa?� The man holding Marie called out, from behind the thick bushes. �Is it �kay fer us ta come out now?�

�Quit yammerin�, ya Galoot! Them fellers ain�t too far away. Might hear ya iffen ya don�t shut yer trap! Now, git that filly out here an� git her on a horse. Weez buzzard food iffen we stick �round here!�

�Why don�t we jest let �er go, Pa? I don�t need me no bride. �Sides, it jest ain�t fair ta put a purty little thang like �er through this.�

�Listen here, you yeller belly! You wanted into this jest �s much �s I did. Don�t you be tryin� ta pull out now. Fetch yer horse an rig up.�

�Yes, Pa�, the younger man said, walking back toward the bushes to retrieve his horse.

Marie looked from one man to the other. They were both unclean and unshaven and reeked of tobacco smoke and horse flesh. The younger man had a head full of curly, dark hair and his face might have been handsome if it were not for his lack of self maintenance. Clearly, neither of them had been properly educated, for they were as untamed as wild animals.

Within a matter of minutes, the men were packed up and ready to clear out. Marie was forced to share a saddle with the old man�s son, Leroy. Shivers ran down her spine when his hairy arm encircled her waist. He was much too close for comfort.

�Giddup,� Leroy said, as he jabbed sharp spurs into the horses flesh and followed his father along the dark trail and through the woods.

Looking back into the eerie darkness, Marie wondered if she would ever see Clive and Jack again�..

* * * * * * * *


�Looks like we lost �im, Clive. Must�ve rode outta here in a hurry,� Jack said, arriving at the deserted campsite �An� it looks ta me like he�s got himself a partner,� he said, bending down to get a closer look at the ground, where the moonlight revealed two sets of horse tracks in the mud.

Clive looked around and said, �Come on, Jack. If we hurry, we should be able to catch up to them. They couldn�t have gotten too far yet.�

The men swung themselves up into the saddles of their awaiting horses. Gathering the reigns, they trotted briskly up through the winding trail that rose between two looming peaks. They cut across a slow-moving, shallow stream and on the other side, picked up the path and climbed the banks. They could see fresh hoof tracks in the sand, still wet from crossing the stream, and knew that the riders could not be more than a mile or two ahead. The two lawmen pushed along, in pursuit of the riders, their hearts pounding to the rhythm of the horse hooves, which were hitting the ground in heavy thuds beneath them. Their horses were moving so fast that they couldn�t focus on objects before they were past. As much as they tried to watch the trail ahead for obstacles, the men found themselves running head first into low-hanging tree limbs which slapped at their faces, leaving sharp stinging cuts. The brisk wind seemed to whip at them as they rode, taking their breath away and sending chills over their bodies, despite the heavy coats they wore.

For what seemed like hours, they rode along, dark silhouettes against the night sky, searching for any sign of the riders ahead. When it almost seemed as if they had lost the riders completely, Jack suddenly brought his horse to a halt, raising his hand to slow Clive, who was riding behind him. Before him, the tall grasses were laying down in a straight line, leaving the trail and veering off to the west. It looked almost as if several animals had passed that way. Jack nodded toward it. �Reckon we oughta check it out?�

Clive took a deep breath of frigid night air and then exhaled, while surveying the scene. �I think so,� he said. �There is a good chance that they went that way, trying to shake us off their trail.�

Clucking their feet in the stirrups, the two lawmen urged their horses into a ground-eating trot down that narrow, grassy path.

* * * * * * *


�Kin ya see �em, Pa?�

�No. But I kin hear �em comin�, tho. Sounds like they�s closin� in on us,� the old man replied, as he mounted his horse, after looking out over the land from a high point along the path. �Thought fer shore we�d lost �em back there.�

Marie�s heart soared to know that Clive and Jack had not given up their search for her and that they were following close behind. Soon, she would be rescued and taken to safety by the two men whom she loved dearly.

�Git movin, boy!� the old man said to his son. �Keep yer rifle handy �an don�t you be fergitten ta use it iffen those fellers git close �nough.�

��Kay, Pa,� Leroy agreed, half reluctantly.

Farther along the path they rode, their horses moving so fast that Marie could hardly catch her breath. Her head was throbbing and her body was weary from the unexpected events of the day. An hour before midnight, they came to a halt in front of a small shanty, tucked away amid tall spruce. Leroy climbed down off of his horse and helped to lift Marie out of the saddle. He was ordered to take her inside, while his father hid the horses around back. Leroy poked the barrel of his gun into Marie�s ribs and took her by the arm, up the creaky porch steps and into the small wood structure. Striking a match against the heel of his boot, Leroy lit a lantern and set it on the table. The flickering light revealed a room with dust and dirt and cobwebs gathered in every corner. A cold and uncomfortable place filled with the stench of musty leather and rotten wood. An old stove sat at one end of the room, with two chairs and a table beside it. At the other end, there were two bunks covered in soiled, wool blankets.

Marie cringed as she gave a sweeping glance about the room. How could any human want to live in such filthiness?

�Care ta wet yer whistle?� Leroy asked. �All weez got is whiskey. Come on. Take a swig. Might loosen ya up a bit.�

Marie shook her head, but he insisted. Pulling the rag away from her mouth, he put the bottle of whiskey to her lips and tilted it to allow the liquid to come pouring out. Marie spit it out and coughed from the taste. She refused to drink it!

�My, you shore is a feisty one,� he laughed. �Suit yerself then. I�ll take a snort fer both of us.� Tipping the bottle, he took a drink and then belched.

�Leroy! What do you think yer doin, ya Galoot? Git that whiskey bottle put �way �an mind yer manners �round the filly. Have a little respect fer yer bride-ta-be!� the old man growled, as he entered the cabin. ��An git that there rag put o�er her mouth agin.�

�Yes, Pa. �

But, before he could return the rag to her mouth, the room suddenly grew quiet. All three of them turned their eyes upon the front door. The sound of horse hooves could be heard coming up the path toward the cabin.

�Come on, boy. Git yer gun. Weez got some visitors.� a wicked, toothless grin played across the old man�s mouth. �What do ya say we give �em a warm welcome?�

Leroy nodded eagerly.

Marie gasped. They wouldn�t dare shoot Clive and Jack! Then again, in her heart, she knew that these cold-blooded men would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Her body began to tremble. She just couldn�t sit there. She had to do something. She must think fast!

�Wait! Please! I do not want you to hurt them. Let me speak to them first. I will send them away.� Marie realized that this would be the only way to keep Clive and Jack from getting killed.

�How �bout it, Pa?� Leroy asked, looking over at his father who was standing guard by the window.

�I dunno,� the old man grumbled, not sure if he should trust her. �Ain�t no harm in tryin�, I giss. But, I�m a warnin� ya. Ya bitter not try anythin� foolish, ya hear? �Cause iffen ya do��

He didn�t need to say anything more. Marie already knew what would happen.

�I promise,� she said, lowering her gaze. �I will not do anything foolish. I only want to protect my friends. That is all.�

�Bring �er �long then, boy. The sooner we git this o�er with, the sooner we kin git on with the weddin� plans.�

* * * * * * *


Easing their horses into a slow trot, Jack and Clive rode side by side toward the cabin. Neither man knew what to expect as they approached this mountain dwelling. Jack held his rifle, preparing to use it if need be. Clive had his hand at his hip, positioned to draw his pistol in a hurry. Riding closer to the cabin, the men could see a light in the window and two figures moving back and forth inside. The figures seemed to be carrying guns and looked to be talking to someone else in the room. Then, a third figure stood up and was being led across the room and out of their vantage point.

�That was Marie!� Clive said, his voice echoing through the forest.

�Told ya they had her.�

�I�m going in after her,� he said spontaneously, dismounting his horse.

�Easy now, Clive,� Jack said, gripping the Corporal�s shoulder with his strong hand. �Ya can�t go in there. �

�Then how will we get Marie out?�

�We�ll wait.�

�Wait for what, Jack? For them to hurt her?�

�Course not. We�ll jest wait �til they let �er go.�

�Things don�t work that way, Jack. These men kidnapped Marie for a reason. It could be for ransom money or some other crazy scheme. We have to make a move now.�

�Ya wanna git yerself killed, Bennett? Use yer head.�

�Listen, Jack. Standing here arguing with me is not going to get Marie back. Now, I�m going in.�

Suddenly, a bullet whizzed by between them, so close that it practically grazed their arms, hitting the trunk of a nearby tree. �Next bullet�s fer you, Redcoat!� a haggard voice called from the doorway of the cabin. The old man was standing there, pointing a gun in their direction. �Now, stay where you is �an nobody�ll git hurt!�

�Just let Marie go and we will be on our way,� Clive said.

�She kin leave iffen she wants to, but I reckon she�s a wantin� ta stay.�

Casting a confused look at one another, Clive and Jack wondered what he meant.

Marie appeared in the doorway with a younger man standing behind her.

�It is true,� she said, her voice a bit shaky. I�.I�.want to stay here. �

�She�s a gonna be my bride,� the younger man said, a sly grin on his face as he slipped an arm around her.

Was it their imagination or had Marie actually returned the embrace? What was going on here? Why was she doing this?

�This is my new home. Please go back to Bordertown and stay there. Please. We do not want any trouble.� Her voice was pleading and it looked almost as if her lips were quivering, despite her effort to be brave.

�But, Marie!� Clive cut in.

�Clive. Do as I say. Please go!�

Climbing back into the saddle, Clive gave one last look over at Marie, before riding away. He shook his head with disbelief. Had he actually heard right? It was not like Marie to be willing to stay in a place like this or, of all things, to marry an uneducated mountain man. He knew her too well. She must have been forced to say this, he figured, or perhaps she was somehow trying to protect he and Jack.

�What in tarnation?� Jack said, confused by what he had just witnessed. �They musta put �er up to it, Clive.�

�Probably,� Clive agreed. �But it not going to work. We will not leave her here. When we go back to Bordertown, she will be with us. I promise you that.�

* * * * * * *


Marie tried to hold back the tears which threatened to fill her eyes, but it was no use. Though she was a strong woman, capable of holding back her emotions, she had no control over the tears that flowed freely down her soft cheeks. Her heart ached to run into their arms, but she couldn�t. There were too many risks involved. She was given a warning by the old man and she knew that she must heed it if she wanted Clive and Jack to escape without harm. She would never forgive herself if they were to get shot because of her.

Back inside the cabin, Leroy used rope to tie her hands behind her back again and placed the rag back over her mouth. �Don�t want you puttin� up no fuss �efore we git hitched,� he chuckled, before leading her over to one of the bunks where she would sleep the night. �Ya kin sleep here tanight. It�s my bunk.� With ice blue eyes, he stared at her, making her feel uncomfortable. �I�ll sleep o�er there by the stove.�

Marie could feel her stomach churn. He made her sick. She simply could not imagine being married to him. But, there was no turning back now. Time was running out. The justice of the peace would be coming tomorrow and there was nothing that she could do about it. She had already made up her mind that this was the only thing to do, in order to spare the lives of the men whom she loved, and she would just have to face the unfortunate consequences. As she lay there, beneath the covers, pretending to be asleep, she could sense that Leroy was still watching her intently. �Shore has purty hair, don�t she, Pa?� she could hear him whisper to his father. �Jest like silk.� Within seconds, she could feel his hand stroking her hair. She bit her lip and clenched her fists, trying to fight the urge to turn around and yell at him. �Git away from there an� let �er sleep, boy!� the old man growled back. Marie heaved a sigh of relief when Leroy finally left her bedside and walked over to the stove.

When morning arrived, so did the feeling of hopelessness. In only a few short hours Marie would be the wife of a mountain man. It was inevitable.

�I�d best be scuttlin� on down ter the valley. I gotta fetch ol� Elijah Perkins so�s he kin say the words o�er ya�s ta make it all legal like,� the old man said, at dawn.

�But, Pa. He ain�t been the justice o� the peace fer years. He�s jest an ol� gambler.�

�Don�t matter! He�ll do.� the old man snapped. �Now, stay out of it an� leave it ta me! Now, don�t be fergittin� ta keep yer eye on the filly whilst I�m gone.�

�Ya don�t be needin� ta worry none �bout that, Pa. �Course I�ll be a watchin� �er.�

The old man strode across the floor, opened the front door and went for his horse. He would be away for several hours, leaving Marie alone with Leroy.

Marie sat on the side of the bunk, looking down at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with Leroy. She could sense that he was watching her. Somehow she wished that the old man could have sent him to go into the valley instead. She disliked being left alone with him, even though he seemed to have a little more compassion on her than his father had.

�S�pose ya be wantin� ta git some fresh air?� Leroy asked.

Still avoiding his eyes, Marie nodded.

Taking her by the arm, Leroy led her out the front door and over to a rock which was sitting beneath a golden birch. As soon as she was settled on the rock, he leaned over, removed the rag from her mouth and stuffed it in his pocket. Then, he untied the rope that held her hands behind her back. �Ya feel better now?�

�Yes. Thank you.�

Leroy stood with his back to Marie and then paced the ground for a few minutes before getting up the courage to walk back over to her. �I �member when I took a bullet to my leg a few years back. Pa took me down ta Bordertown an� you was the doctor who nursed me back ta health. We ain�t ne�er fergot yer kindness, ma�am. My Pa was bound an� determined thit you was a goin� ta be my bride someday,� He was now sitting next to her, staring at her face. Marie cringed, as he moved closer. She could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. �You shore is diff�rent from the womenfolk weez got up here in the mountains. You is real delicate-like. Cain�t say as I e�er met a lady like you �efore. There�s jest sumpthin� �bout ya�.� Taking her in his arms, he pressed his lips against hers. She struggled to break away from his hold, but she couldn�t. Suddenly, she was able to get up enough strength to lift her feet and kick Leroy, sending him tumbling down off the rock and onto the hard ground. She stood up and looked around. Which way should she run? Hurrying away from him, she reached the edge of the forest and disappeared into the shadows.

�Git back here ya lil� scamp!� Leroy called, as he winced with pain. �Jest wait �til I git my hands on you!�

Her hair had fallen loose from its braid and was blowing freely in the wind and her heart was beating wildly, as she stumbled along, over rocks and twigs, almost tripping as she went. She was still unaware of which direction she was headed, but for now it didn�t seem to matter. She just wanted to get as far away from Leroy as she could.

Looking over her shoulder periodically, Marie tried to see if Leroy was following her. When she saw that there was no one in sight, she heaved a sigh and continued to run onward, dodging the trees and rocks and other obstacles that stood in her way. She was running so fast that everything around her just looked like a blur.

The sound of crackling twigs caught her attention, and for a moment she thought that it was Leroy, but upon looking back at the woods behind her, she noticed that the sound was coming from a small squirrel that was out gathering acorns. Just as she turned her head back around to watch where she was going, she suddenly slammed her body into something, coming to an abrupt stop! Dizzy and a bit confused, she shook her head and looked up. A sudden scream escaped her lips as she looked up and met the cold, gray eyes of a man!

* * * * * * *
�Did you hear that, Jack?� Clive asked, after splashing his face with cool water from the stream. �Sounds like Marie�s in trouble!� He used a towel to dry off and then stuffed it back inside his saddle bag. His face was already sporting a full day�s growth of stubble.

�I heard it,� Jack said, feeling his stomach tie into knots. Shoving his hat back on his head, he pulled his rifle from the scabbard. �Better find out what�s goin� on.�

They had set up camp in the woods, not too far away from the cabin where Marie was being held. All during the night, they had sat and talked over plans of how they could rescue Marie. They took turns keeping watch for any activity coming and going from the cabin, allowing each other the chance to lay back and try to rest up. It was a night of torture, wondering what the next day would bring.

The men hunched down low and crept slowly through the woods, heading westward. Now that it was daylight, it was not so easy to stay hidden. Moving forward, they kept close to the bushes, pushing aside tree branches and stepping over the dry and crunchy leaves, which covered the ground.

The sun was higher in the sky now and its rays of light were beginning to filter through the trees at an angle, glistening off of the morning dew. Despite the crisp wind that was blowing and the chill that was in the air at that early hour, Clive and Jack were sweating bullets, as they trudged onward.

Suddenly the men stood still. They could hear something. The hum of voices rising from beyond a small slope.

�Sounds like Marie,� Jack said in a low, husky voice.

�It is her,� Clive whispered.

Moving closer to the slope, they laid flat against the rocks and looked over them into a small clearing. There she was. Marie standing amid two men. One of them was the old man from the cabin. He was squeezing her arms and saying, �Looky what we found! A run away bride.� He gave a wicked laugh. �We best be headin� on back ter the cabin. Don�t wanna disappoint ol� Leroy now, do we?� The other man was lingering nearby with a whiskey jug in his hand, chewing on a wad of tobacco and spitting out the juice.

�Let me go! Please let me go!�

�Shut yer trap now, Filly! Yer comin� back ter marry my boy!�

�Pa!� Leroy said, as he appeared on the scene, gasping for air and limping. �The lil� scamp got loose!�

�Might o� known I couldn�t count on you ta keep �er there!� the old man growled.

�But, Pa��

�Just git on back ter the cabin. Weez got a weddin� ter attend.�

�Stay right where you are!� Clive broke in, from on top of the slope. He was pointing his gun toward the threesome down below.

�Ya heard what the Mountie said. Now, stay where ya are an' put up yer hands!� Jack said, ready to pull the trigger on his rifle at any minute, if necessary.

The three mountain men stepped away from Marie, with hands raised in surrender, staring defiantly at the lawmen.

�Clive! Jack!� Marie cried. She lifted the hem of her nightdress, which she was still wearing after being kidnapped from her bedroom the day before, and ran toward them. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she didn�t care. She was just so relieved to see them again and to know that she was safe at last!

�I�m so happy to see you both!�

�How are you? They didn�t hurt you, did they?� Clive asked, his eyes meeting hers, as he took her in his arms and held her close to his broad chest.

�I am fine. Only a little tired after all that has happened.� She wiped the tears from her eyes and said, �I did not think that I would ever see you or Jack again. I thought that you had already gone back to Bordertown.�

Seeing that Marie was being embraced by the Clive, Jack couldn't help but feel a bit left out. As he placed a hand on her shoulder, he said, �Ya didn�t think we�d just up an' leave ya here, now did ya, Marie?�

She smiled. �I should have known that you would never give up. I am a lucky girl to have such faithful friends.�

Jack smiled and then, quickly clearing his voice so as not to be overcome with emotion, turned to Clive and said, �Well, c'mon Bennett. We've got some men to arrest�

�Wait here, Marie,� Clive said, a bit reluctant to leave her. He then followed Jack down the slope and over to the threesome.

Marie welcomed the chance to sit down and catch her breath. Sitting there, on a grassy area beneath a maple tree, she leaned her head against the thick trunk. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about the things that had happened during the last twenty-four hours. It had been a nightmare, but it was over now.

* * * * * * *


The day after they returned to Bordertown, Marie invited Clive and Jack to join her and Lucy for a special dinner at her house. She donned her apron and worked merrily in her kitchen, preparing the meal. She wanted to celebrate with a feast of fine food.

The roast had just been taken from the oven, the biscuits were piping hot, the corn, potatoes, and carrots were heating on the stovetop, and the apple pie was now cooling on the cupboard near an open window.

The table looked beautiful, covered with a tablecloth and set with the finest china and silverware. When Jack and Clive had arrived, everyone gathered into the dining room as Marie gave the call that dinner was almost ready! The aroma was very pleasing and everyone was more than ready to dig in and enjoy this feast!

�You shore had us worried, Marie,� Jack said, spooning hot potatoes into his mouth. �Would�ve been a cryin� shame to have seen ya git hitched to a varmint like that there Leroy. He just ain�t yer kind of feller.�

�Tell me, Jack,� Marie said, leaning across the table, trying to hold back a giggle. �What sort of man is my kind?�

�Well now, � Jack said, using a callused finger to scratch his head. �I reckon it would be a feller who is tall, dark and�.� Adjusting his collar, added, ��.handsome.�

�And I suppose that you think that you qualify as tall, dark and handsome, Jack?� Clive asked, his eyebrows raised, appraising his partner.

Jack glared at him and said, �Don�t be puttin� words in my mouth, Bennett! I ain�t never said that. �Sides, ya never kin tell. Marie just might be hankerin� ta marry a man like myself. The strong an� outdoorsy type.�

�But, Jack. She has already made it clear that she doesn�t like mountain men,� Clive said, the corners of his mouth kicking up in a grin.

�Real funny, Clive,� Jack said, sarcastically. �Now, quit pokin' fun an' eat yer grub!"

Marie burst into laughter. "Honestly," she said, shaking her head. "You two are worse than children!"


The End.




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