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When she opened her eyes again, it was dark Her whispered calls for Bordeaux received no response so she felt around in the darkness The only thing she acco her hands on the sharp rocks Bordeaux would be back She curled into a ball and tried to go back to sleep Bordeaux wouldn't have left her unless he felt she was safe, she was sure of that Still, she wished he would get back soon He probably went to search for food Her sto and her throat was dry With a littledrink Theto head on her ar from the sharp rocks, they must be in the lava field How far had Bordeaux carried her? She caught her breath and sat up sharply What if he had abandoned her? It was hard to believe he would do such a thing, but nothing in her childhood had ever suggested that her father would abandon his children, either Could she make it across the lava field by herself? Bordeaux said it was north of Ashley, or was it north of the desert?

Which would kill her, the Indians or the country? Think of so positive How ades, surely they wouldn't want to take the time to track only two people - not with the cavalry on their trail Maybe Pete and the others had reached Ashley by now and a rescue et them But would they knohere to look?

A whisper soft ht alerted her, and she held her breath, straining her eyes into the darkness Was it an animal? An Indian? She was afraid to round around her and touched the cold steel barrel She quietly lifted it and placed it on her lap She couldn't cock it without giving away her position, but she could use it as a club

"Cassie?" Bordeaux whispered softly

"Chauncey" Her hoarse whisper betrayed her relief

"I brought you so to eat" He moved close and pressed some meat into her hand It was still warm and smelled of wood smoke

"You cooked it?"

"Sure," came the reply "About two miles from here I didn't want the smell to draw any unwanted visitors" He placed a cool canteen on her lap "I found some water, too"