with fine tin cone pendants and beautiful beadwork. There was a long

overdress that fell nearly to her knees, and beneath it, soft trousers

so that she might ride easily. She was given boots at last, fine boots

with rawhide bottoms and soft leggings to cover her calves. She thanked

Little Flower as best as she could for the gifts, then kissed the young

woman on the cheek.

Nalte came to her then. Little Flower fled, and Nalte watched Tess for

several moments before speaking.

"You 255 will take the dress, too. Slater has told me that it will

always be special to him."

She flushed.

"Thank you. Thank you for the gifts. I've nothing to give you in

return."

He shrugged.

"I have gotten what I wanted from Slater. And I give you the gifts in

his behalf. In our courting ritual, we exchange gifts, as I have told

you." She smiled and lowered her head, wondering what Jamie had given

him.

"Most of all, Nalte, I thank you for my freedom."

He grunted and looked at her still.

"I understand that you are a warrior yoursell~' " A warrior?" she said,

startled.

"You take on men's battles."

"I didn't really intend to. I just--I had to fight back." She paused.

"This man had my uncle murdered. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand. I will pray that the sph'its will be with you."

He left her then.

Jamie returned soon after.

"They are ready to ride," he told her.

"Let's go."

She nodded and hurried after him. There was a small roan mare set aside

for her use, and she silently accepted Jamie's help to mount the saddle

less creature.

She was startled to see Jamie mounting a large paint gelding. She stared

at him and said softly, "Jamie, your own horse" -- "He's Nalte's now,"

Jamie said curtly. "Your horse! But you loved that horse. Why on earth

would you want to" She broke off. He hadn't wanted to give Nalte the

horse. The horse had been the negotiation.

"I'm sorry, Jamie."

"It doesn't matter," he said, and, turning his back, he rode ahead to

talk to the half-naked warrior in a breech256 clout at the head of the

party of a dozen or so, their escort through Comanchero territory. The

Indian turned and she gasped, startled to see that it was Nalte.

She couldn'? t ponder the chief's participation in their ride then, for

cries suddenly filled the air and they were leaving the village behind

at a quick pace. Jouncing on her pony, Tess turned back.

Little Flower was waving to her. Tess smiled warmly and waved in turn.

They she turned again and hugged her knees to her pony. She had thought

that she knew how to ride hard, but she had never ridden with the Apache

before.

She realized she was learning about a hard ride all over again, from the

very beginning.

By the time they stopped for the night, she could barely dismount, and

when she did she nearly fell.

Jamie was there to catch her. She widened her eyes and stared at him and

she wanted to straighten and show him that she could be strong. But her

knees were buckling and she merely managed to whisper, "Oh, Jamie ..."

He caught her before she fell. The Apache warriors were preparing a

fire, and he carried her to it. One warrior stretched out a blanket for

her, and a roll was stuffed beneath her head.

She never ate a meal that night for she fell asleep instantly.

Somewhere in the middle of the night she felt a new warmth. She opened

her eyes and realized that Jamie had stretched next to her, and she was

curled up in the shelter of his arms.

She stared up at the stars and was suddenly very afraid. She had wanted

to go home, and they were going home. But Jamie was right, it would be

open war now. She didn't want to die.

She was just learning how to live.

She closed her eyes and curled her fingers around the strong male hand

that curved beneath her breast.

"Please God, please God, please God," she whispered. The rest of her

prayer formed no words, but she knew it in her heart.

She wanted to survive. and more.

She wanted to survive with Jamie. The life that was now so precious to

her would be meaningless without him.

She dosed her eyes again, and to her amazement, she slept once more.

The Apache stayed with them all the next day and the next night.

Jamie seemed c6ncerned for them, warning Nalte that they were moving

into Comanche territory. But Nalte knew Running River, and he didn't

seem concerned.

Tess tried to talk to Nalte, reminding him that many whites had believed

yon Heusen when he said that it had been Indians who caused all the

trouble. Few of the new settlers knew there was a difference between

Comanche and Apache.

Nalte, however, was resolute. He and the Apache rode with them to the

outskirts of the town of Wiltshire. Then he lifted his spear high in the

air and a shrill, blood-chilling cry escaped him. The Apache formed

behind him.

"Goodbye, Slater, Sun-Colored Woman."

"Thank you. No matter what comes, Nalte, I will always be your friend,"

Jamie told him.

"I believe you." The chief moved forward, and he and Jamie clasped

hands.

Then Nalte swung his newly acquired mount around and his men raced off

behind him. Jamie watched them disappear in a cloud of Texas dust, then

he looked at Tess.

"This is it. We're almost home."

"Perhaps we should go into town"

"No. We'll head to the ranch."

"But I need to put this in the paper" -- He swore, roughly, violently.

"Tomorrow, Tess! We're going home. I tried to make a few arrangements

for help.

You can't go into town alone, and I have to get back to the ranch!

Got it?"

"Got it!" she shouted back.

They weren't far. She swung her Apache mare around and nudged her to a

fleeting gallop. She raced for a good ten minutes before she pulled up

suddenly, a feeling of utter joy encompassing her heart as the ranch

came into view. It was still standing. No one had burned it to the

ground.

Smoke was spewing from the chimney; Dolly or Jane must be cooking

something inside. Life had gone on while she had been with the Apache.

And the people who loved her had held on.

Jamie was behind her. She turned and shouted to him. "It's still

standing!"

"Yes," he began.

She didn't let him say more. She nudged the mare hard again with' her

heels and thundered toward the ranch. She passed the paddocks and the

beautiful mares with their foals and she felt joy cascade throughout

her. Von Heusen hadn't beaten them--not yet.

She reined in the mare as she came to the house. Dust flew as the little

horse pawed the ground. Tess leaped down and went racing for the front

door.

"Dolly, Jane, Hank!" She stood in the entryway, looking at the large

desk, at the stairway leading to the second floor, at the furniture in

the parlor, at the dining table. She was home.

"They're here! Someone is here!" a voice shouted. It was an unfamiliar

voice. Tess stared in astonishment as a tall, slim blond woman came

hurrying down the stairway. She was followed by a handsome little boy of

about five, then a second blond woman with a serene and beautiful face.

"Miss. Tess!"

Tess swung around as Jane hurried from the kitchen, throwing her arms

around her.

"I knew you'd come back, I just knew that you would!"

"Well." The first woman had reached the entryway.

"I knew that Jamie wouldn't come back without you, of course," she said.

"Where is he?"

Tess stared with astonishment at the two women and the little boy.

Then the door burst open behind her. Jamie had arrived, but he wasn't

alone.

With him were two men, both as tall as he, with the handsome but rugged

features of ranchers, of men who eked their existence from the land and

the elements. They were talking, the three of them were talking, the

darkest of them saying something about yon Hensen.

Then Dolly emerged' from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Those twins!" she proclaimed.

"The little darlings are going to eat us out of cookies and cakes, they

are!

Oh!

Oh, Tess! Jamie, Lieutenant Slater, why you're home! You're home!" There

were tears in her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I knew Tess wouldn't come home without her lieutenant. I knew you

wouldn't!" Dolly flung her arms around Jamie, and then Dolly and Jane

were fighting to hug Tess, and she was trying to hug them back.

But she still couldn't help staring at the strangers who were suddenly

filling her house. Twins? What twins?

The two blond women were kissing and hugging Jamie. Jamie was laughing

in return and thanking both for coming.

Tess wasn't sure if she would lose her temper or her mind first.

"Excuse me!" she said, but there was too much noise. "Excuse me!" she

shouted. The room went still. She looked around, and then said frankly,

"Excuse me, but--who are you?"

"Jamie!" the taller woman wailed.

"You didn't tell her?" Tess smiled sweetly.

"No. No, he didn't tell me."

Jamie stepped forward.