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ELIZABETH

“The defendant, Elizabeth Morgan, is found guilty of the charges of cattle rustling, aiding and abetting cattle rustlers, and leading the outlaw gang known as Morgan’s Marauders She is hereby sentenced to death by hanging…” Judge Warren Abernathy droned on

His voice beca in her head as she heard hio to prison if caught, not die Her lawyer stood next to her, with his hand around her waist as if he expected her knees to buckle Elizabeth took a deep breath and steeled herself She’d beco her to her knees as a prostitute She wouldn’t go to her knees now

“… Andto say for yourself?”

In a clear, calm, and cool voice she replied, “Fuck you”

There was an audible gasp froe, hadn’t expected that

Elizabeth s in fear Still, she had a front that was expected, and she would not see it falter

“Miss Morgan, a little decorureen-behind-the ears laho had defended her

“Why? What are they going to do, hangpast the bailiff and onlookers to saunter past the standing-rooht up with her to escort her back to jail Again She’d been behind bars for three days; the trial rushed because the judge was leaving town to travel his summer circuit around the territory

“Youa little reh the door to her cell She was the only female—in fact, currently, the only occupant The place was dank, bare, and smelled of stale urine and sweat

“Unlike the hypocrites in this town, I try to keepto a minimum”

“No, you’re just a thief,” he spat

The olderwas mutual

“As opposed to the whore you wanted to make me?” she taunted

He’d given her the option of sucking his cock instead of going to jail Elizabeth had gagged at the idea of getting on her knees before the fat, tobacco-chewing asshole and told hi out of honor, and she wore it about her like a mantle She wouldn’t succumb to the sheriff, or any other man She’d rather die And it seemed she was destined to do so

Her mind drifted back to the twothe trial She’d paid theht a peek of the duo, one fair, the other dark as night, she’d frozen in place The bailiff had been forced to nudge her forward to her seat That one quick peek had been all she needed to set her heart aflutter, just one quick peek Now, they were , braell-kept Their eyes had been squarely on her and, in that split second, it felt as if they’d seen past all the false bravado, past every wall she’d raised to shield her true feelings She felt as if they’d seen the real her