Cody ran from the bunkhouse after hearing the shots, his rifle in his hand.

"Heard it too, huh?" Buck asked coming up behind him.

"Yeah," Cody replied, then spotted a rider on the horizon. "We expectin anybody?"

"Not that I know of."

The two took cover behind the trees, awaiting the rider. Cody trained his rifle on the image, never blinking.

"Buck, he's got Jimmy," Cody whispered.

"That's not a he, Cody."

Cody looked again. Buck was right. "Better have doc look at my eyes!"

The woman was almost in front of them. "All right, Cody, we're gonna take this nice and slow. Jimmy doesn't look too good."

Carefully, the two came out into the open.

"Okay," Cody said. "You've gone far enough."

"Please, you've gotta help him," the woman cried."

"Kid!" Buck shouted. "We could use you out here!"

Cody kept his gun trained on the woman while Kid and Buck removed Jimmy from her horse.

"Let's get him inside," Kid instructed.

Cody helped the woman from the horse and led her, by gunpoint into the house.

"What happened?" Rachel asked, opening the door.

"That's what we'd like to know," Cody answered.

"My father..."she began.

"Who are you?" Buck interrupted, after putting Jimmy down.

"My name is Cynthia Scott," she answered.

"Scott..." Cody pondered, looking to Kid for help.

"Teaspoon's friend in Devil's Bluff," he reminded him.

"Who shot Jimmy?" Lou almost shouted. There were tears in her eyes, and she cursed herself for getting emotional in front of the stranger.

Cynthia looked at the ground. "Jake did..."

"Who's Jake?" Cody inquired.

As if on cue, the door burst open. Jake entered, his gun drawn. His left sleeve was red with blood.

"Lemme guess," Cody said. "You're Jake. This just keeps gettin' better an' better..."

"I just came for the girl," he explained. "Don't want no harm to come..."

"Somehow, I don't believe that," Cody informed him. "Why don't you put your gun down and we'll think about it?"

Jake's attention turned to Cynthia. "Your aim is a little off," he said, looking at his arm. "Now, let's go..."

Cynthia shook her head. "I'm not leavin' until I know Jimmy's all right."

Jake grabbed her arm. "It doesn't matter!" he growled, pulling her towards him.

"You're hurting me, Jake," she winced.

He didn't care who heard him. "I'll hurt you more than this if you don't cooperate."

Cynthia looked into his eyes. "My father will hear of this," she said, knowing that he all ready knew what was taking place. She hated him for it, and if she ever got out of this, she'd tell anyone who'd listen. If she could get Jake to admit that her father wanted him to kill Jimmy, then maybe they'd believe her, and Jake would go to jail. the best option for everyone.

Jake laughed. "Honey, he's the one that had me kill the nosy little rider boy you think is gonna protect you!"

No one moved, except for Lou and Rachel, as they tended to Jimmy. The bullet went cleanly through his shoulder. He'd be fine. The tension in the room was thick, causing everyone to be on edge.

"Look," Cody said. "Why don't you let the girl go, an we'll forget all bout this?"

Jake turned his gun on Cody, causing Kid and Buck to draw their own.

Cody grinned, causing his blue eyes to sparkle. He was actually enjoying this. "Not a good idea," he said. "Seems your outnumbered."

Jake never stood down. "Cindy's comin' with me..."

"Why don't you let her make her own decisions?" Jimmy asked, standing up.

With Jake distracted, Cody grabbed his gun, while Buck swept Cynthia out of the way.

"Never underestimate us nosy rider boys!" Cody warned with a brilliant smile.

Chapter 11

Teaspoon brought Jake to the jail to await his trial. He confessed to what Douglas had been up to. He also told him of how Douglas hired him to kill Cynthia's brother. Instead, Chris paid Jake to free him, and promised that he'd go to Colorado Springs, never to be heard from again.

"Well, Jimmy," Cynthia said as the stage waited. "It was nice knowing you."

Jimmy looked into her brown eyes and found himself mesmerized. He was going to miss her, but she'd be better off. He didn't have anything to offer her other than himself, and she deserved better. At least he thought so.

"It was nice to know you too."

Cynthia leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't the first time he'd been kissed, not by a long shot, but the way she kissed him, he knew she felt the same way about him. His world stood still, no one existed other than Cynthia and him. Eventhough he wanted to stay that way forever, he regretfully pulled away.

"I'll write you from Colorado," she said smiling as she got into the coach.

Slowly the coach pulled away, leaving him in the middle of the road.

Silently, he wondered if she was the one for him.

"Hey, Jimmy," Cody called from atop his horse.

"Yeah?"

"C'mon, we gotta go."

The coach had become a tiny dot on the horizon. He took one last look, then left with Cody.

"Y'know," Cody started in. "She was lookin' at me when I was holdin' the gun on Jake. Probably was gonna use you to get to me."

"You're right, Cody," Jimmy laughed. "You're right."

That night, and every night there after, he dreamed of Cynthia Scott. The way she smelled, her laugh, the way he saw tears in her eyes when she got on board the stage. She may have left Sweetwater empty handed, but she carried somethin more precious with her to Colorado.

She carried Jimmy's heart.