"Nothing is wrong. Get up and get dressed into your ridding clothes. Then meet me in the barn. Be quiet okay. We don't want to wake your mother." Her father said as his dark blue eyes shone with excitement in the lamplight.

"Okay." The blonde girl answered as she got up. Her father left the room and she dressed quickly. She quietly made her way out of the house. Once she closed the door behind her she raced to the barn. He met her at the barn door.

"I want you to close your eyes and promise not to open them until I say so." He instructed her as he took her hand and led her into the barn. She closed her eyes as tight as she could. "Okay you can open them now."

She opened her eyes to find a little black pony standing in front of her. "Is she mine?" The surprised girl squealed with delight.

"You bet she is. I bought her for your thirteenth birthday at the last horse sale I went to. " Her father answered.

"But my birthday is still a week away. Why are you giving her to me today?" The confused girl asked.

"I just couldn't wait until your birthday, sweetheart. Now why don't we saddle her and my horse and go for a long ride along the North Ridge. I packed us some lunch. We can spend the whole day together. Just you and me." He suggested.

"But I have school. I don't think mom would be happy if I miss it." She replied.

"I know that is why I did not want you to wake her." He said as sly half smile formed on his lips. "Come let's do it. We will both play hooky. You from school and me from work. I get to spend lots of time with the boys when we are working, hunting or fishing, but I don't get to spend much time with you." He pleaded.

"I bet I can saddle my horse faster than you." The excited girl challenged as she went to get her saddle and bridle from the tack room. They both saddle their horse led them from the barn and mounted. The sun was just beginning to rise when they rode though the big iron gates and headed toward the north ridge.

"Bet my horse can beat yours?" The girl threw a challenge over her shoulder to her father as she urged the little black mare into a gallop.

The proud father watched as his daughter raced across the field with her blonde hair whipping in the wind behind her. He admired how good of a rider she was. When she as a fair distant ahead of him he urged his tall bay into gallop.

The happy girl reined in the little mare and patted its sleek black neck as she turned to watch her father ride toward her. He looked like the knight from her favorite fairy tale as he raced to meet her and to her he was her knight in shinning armor. She knew he would always be there to protect her and love her. "I told you she could beat you." She said when he finally pulled up beside her side.

"That you did." He laughed not letting on that he had let her win. The father listened with delight, as his daughter talked non-stop as they rode.

"Oh dear." The girl said.

"What wrong." The concerned father asked.

"Nothing is wrong. I just mean there is a dear." The girl answered as she pointed to the creek where a big buck stood. "It is so beautiful."

"Well this is as good as any place to stop for lunch." The father said as he dismounted and led his horse to the water. He knelt down by the creek and dipped his blond head into the refreshing cool water. Then he got up walked over to his daughter and shook his head like a puppy does when it is wet.

"Hey stop that you are getting my outfit all wet." She complained.

"There was a time you didn't care if you got your clothes wet or dirty." He said.

"I was just a kid then. Now I am a woman and I must care what I look like." She replied as she tossed her blonde locks over her shoulder and stuck her nose in the air.

"Well no matter how old you get you will always be my little girl." The amused father laughed. "Come on lets eat.

After they ate the girl lay with her head on her father's lap as she stared up at the sky. "That looks like a horse." She said as she pointed out a formation of clouds.

"A horse? I swear you are horse crazy. Everything you see reminds you of a horse. It looks more like a sheep than a horse to me." He scoffed. They had been playing find the picture in the clouds for over an hour now and every cloud formation the girl saw she would say it was a horse.

" I say it’s a horse." She pouted.

"Fine it’s a horse. Well we better head back home now." He said as looked at the position of the sun in the sky and realized how late it was getting.

"Do we have to. I don't want this day to end. Can't we stay just a little longer?" She pleaded.

"No, we don't want to be late for supper. Your mother is going to be mad enough at you for making me let you skip school." He said as he stood up and started to pack away their stuff.

"Hey it was you idea. Not mine. I just tell her you forced me to do it." She shot back.

"Okay, okay. We will both take the blame, but it was worth her wrath don't you think?" He asked. His little girl's blue eyes shone with enjoyment as she smiled and nodded her head in agreement. They placed the stuff in the saddlebags, mounted their horses and headed for home.

When they arrived home her mother was furious. "Where were you all day?" She demanded.

"Went riding on the north ridge. We needed to try out that new pony of hers." The father tried to explain.

"That new pony was suppose to be her birthday present and she should have been in school today. Not riding with you." The angry mother seethed.

"Missing one day ain't going to hurt her and I just wanted to spend some time with her. She is my daughter I have a right to." The father defended himself.

"Of course you do, but couldn’t it have waited until the weekend. Why did you have to pull her out of school?"

"Because I might not have another chance." He answered.

"What is that suppose to mean." The confused mother asked.

"She is growing up so fast and there is always something that needs my attention on the ranch. Today there wasn't anything pressing, so I decided to spend it with my daughter. She can make up the lost day at school. I promise I won't ever do it again." He pleaded for his wife to understand, although he himself did not understand the sudden urgency he had felt this morning to give his daughter her horse. Nor could he really understand the overwelming need to spend time with her.

"I guess what is done is done. I don't ever want a repeat of this, understood. Now you both go get cleaned up for supper." She ordered.

That night the father sat on the edge of his daughter's bed reading to her from her favorite book. Finally he stopped reading and closed the book. He stood up and stretched his back. "Well I think it is time for you to go to sleep princess."

"Just read a little while longer. I don't want to say good night yet." She pleaded.

"I am afraid not. Your mother was angry enough tonight at us. Let's not give her anymore reason, okay." He said as he bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "Always remember that I love you. Goodnight sweetheart."

"I love you too daddy. Goodnight." She said as he tucked her into bed and then left the room.

The next morning her father and brothers were already out working when she came down for breakfast. After she finished her breakfast she saddled her new horse and rode to school. She wanted to show off her new horse to all of her classmates. She could not wait to see the envy in their faces.

After school she raced her little black horse for home. She had not been disappointed by the reaction of her classmates. They had all wanted a ride on her new horse, which she allowed. Her spirits were soaring as she rode though the big iron gates. She took care of her pony and headed for the house. She could not wait for her father to get home, so she could tell him about her day at school.

As the girl walked up to the house she noticed the doctor's buggy parked outside. She entered the house and saw her brother's pacing around the sitting room. The somber looks on their faces told her something dreadful had happened. "What is wrong." She demanded as her heart filled with terror.

Her oldest brother approached her, knelt down and threw his arms around her. "Father was shot today sweetheart."

"But he will be okay right? He has been hurt before and he has always been all right. You will see he will be alright." She assured her older brother.

"No, Sweetheart. He won't be all right. He died instantly. There was nothing that could be done." Her brother tried to explain.

"But the doctor's here. He has to be all right. He has to be." She screamed as she broke from her brother's arm to race to her father's room. But her second oldest brother grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

"No, he is dead. The doctor came to give mother something to so she could sleep." He tried to explain.

"No, you are lying. This is a cruel joke. How can you be so mean." She screamed as she pushed her brother away, ran to her parent's room and burst in. She saw her mother lying on the bed crying as the doctor sat beside her.

"Where is my father?" She demanded. Her oldest brother's who had followed her up to the room grabbed her shoulders. He pulled her from the room.

"I am sorry, Audra. Father won't be coming home." Jarrod quietly said.

"No! No! He's not dead. He can't be dead." She screamed as her whole world just smashed into a million pieces. Jarrod tried to hug her, but she pulled away and raced down the stairs, out the front door and out to the barn. She curled up in the straw of the manger of her new horse and cried. How could he do this? Her mind screamed. How could he leave her? Did he not know how much she needed him? He promised he would be there for her, but now he was gone. He had left and she did not even get to say good-bye. She looked at the little black mare her father had given her yesterday through tear filled eyes. She remembered the wonderful day they had spent together and realized that it had been her father's ways of saying good-bye. "Always remember I love you." She heard her father's voice whisper as she lay in the straw and drifted off into a fit full sleep.

Jarrod found her curled up asleep in the straw. He gently lifted her up and carried her back to the house. He took her to her room and put her into bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed. He did not know how they would survive this tragedy. As he watched his little sister sleep he realized that he must be strong for her. He now was her father figure. He would be the one who would have to discipline her when she was bad and the one she would turn to when she was afraid and needed help. He buried his face in his hand and wept. How could he take his father's place? How could he be strong when his own heart was broken? But strong he knew he must be for her, his brothers and his mother.