Reckless Love

Ja

To Ja

There were places where Ja

The trail came to yet another narrowing of the branching network of runoff cha

There was sun shining on the rise, for they had climbed far enough to be beyond the reach of lengthening shadows. Ja

"There has to be a way to get out from here," Ja

For several minutes Ja

Ja

After Ja

When Ja

Ja

"Lord, what a bugle you have," Ja

After a few moments spent reassuring the horses, Ja

She froze, listening intently, trying to decide where the shots were coming from. The lighter, rhythmic barks of Ty's Winchester resolved the issue beyond a doubt. The sounds were coming from the cleft that Ty had remained behind to guard. The Indians must have decided to try rushing the cleft's entrance, or perhaps it was only a feint.

Either way, Ja

Chapter Forty-One

The trip back down the ancient trail took much less time than the trip up had, but it seemed like an eternity to Ja

Just as Ja

Ty heard her footsteps and looked over his shoulder. "You're supposed to be sleeping."

"Not likely with all the racket you're making," she said breathlessly.

His smile was rather grim as he turned his attention back to the land beyond the cleft. He fired quickly three times and was answered by a scattering of shots.

"I'm having a little help making noise, as you can see."

"How many?" Ja

"I saw enough dust for an army, but I don't think there are more than ten rifles out there right now, and all of them are single shot."

"For these small blessings, Lord, we are thankful," Ja

Ty's smile was little more than a hard line of white beneath his black mustache. He wasn't sure that it made a difference what kind of rifles the renegades were shooting. The chance of Ja

But there was no other way out.

"I think I found a way out," Ja

Her words echoed his thought so closely that for a moment Ty wasn't sure that she really had spoken. His head snapped around.

"What did you say?"

"I think I found how Mad Jack got his gold into the ruins without our seeing him."

A movement beyond the cleft commanded Ty's attention. He turned, got off two quick shots and had the satisfaction of knowing that at least one of them had struck home. There was a flurry of return fire, then silence. As he watched the area beyond the cleft he began reloading methodically.

"How did he do it?" Ty asked.

"You know how the valley narrows out behind the ruins?"

"Yes."

"I followed it," Ja

"So did I about two weeks ago. It ends in a stone cliff."

"There's a ravine coming in before that."