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F ifteen

Tilda had been moving as fast as her aching muscles would allow, Josh right by her side as they packed up food from the ranch house kitchen. Cord was with them, following orders.

Shad Donovan, the foreman of the Two Harts and a grizzled old-timer, brought back a report that made Tilda pack with double speed.

“They must’ve cut the telegraph wires, Josh.

That train went through Sacramento without stopping, and by the time they wired on ahead, the whole line was down.

The sheriff thinks they cut them. The lawmen in Sacramento rode out to see why no telegraphs were coming in and found the wire down.

They rode on to the next town thinking they could get past the break and send the wire on, but it was down again. ”

Shaking his head, Shad said, “Folks in the next town said the train had come in and refilled its water tanks and loaded coal into the tender car, then it had gone on. Someone even noticed a broken window. It’s an unusually short and real fine-looking train, so it stood out to folks as noteworthy.”

Josh dragged his hat off his head and whacked his leg.

“Those coyotes might do that all along the rail line, or at least until they’re out of California.

Once California is behind them, no one will take the word of a small-town sheriff over a rich man like Ben.

And they use that telegraph wire to warn towns down the line that a train’s heading toward them; they use that information to get trains off the rails in the towns with sidetracks.

His selfish run for New York City could get people killed. He could get himself killed, too.”

Tilda grabbed his hat from out of his hands. “Stop beating on your hat.”

Josh had nearly battered it to death.

“Well, at least this means he’s headed back east.”

“Unless someone got off that train and is coming back here. If they had more men than just Ben and the one varmint you saw ... there could be trouble.”

Shad tugged on his own Stetson. “I’m going to recommend we be suspicious of strangers for a time.”

“Some guard dogs around this place would be a good idea, too,” said Josh.

“I’ll ask Annie about that, Boss,” Shad offered. “She talks to more folks than the rest of us, it seems.”

Tilda saw Josh straighten a bit when Shad called him Boss. Josh seemed to like being called that. Tilda had heard several of the men call Zane their boss. She wondered if her husband had more of a fight on his hands than she realized in finding his place here on the family ranch.

“Will you be needing backup on this trail ride you’re going on?” Shad asked.

Josh gave Tilda a long, considering look before turning back to Shad. “You’re busy moving the herds to get ready for the fall cattle drive. We’ll be all right.”

“I’ll pass the word on about the telegraph wires being down. The damage is all north of Sacramento, so we should still be connected to Dorada Rio and on south. I’m sure they’re working on repairs, but that private train will likely stay ahead of them.” With that, Shad tipped his hat and left.

* * * *

Once Tilda finished packing the saddlebags with hardtack and beef jerky, she handed them to Cord and said, “I’m ready.”

Annie came into the kitchen with Caroline. “I asked Jessica to take my class. She’s becoming so dependable, I...” Annie stopped talking, her eyes landing on Cord. “Um, who are you?”

Tilda thought that sounded rude, and she’d never heard Annie be other than perfectly mannered.

“Cord Westbrook. I came back with Brody and Ellie, along with my grandfather. I guess he’ll be staying here with you while I ride off with Josh and Tilda. But if someone would lend my grandpa a horse, he could ride to town and stay in the hotel. Zane returned the horses we rented.”

Annie looked from him to Josh and Tilda. “I suppose he can have the housekeeper’s room with you two and the boys gone. Brody and Ellie will stay in the rooms at the doctor’s office. We’ll figure it out. Your grandfather can stay.”

Josh said to Tilda, “I think we should ask Jilly to build us our own house, Tilda.”

“We don’t need our own house. If this one keeps us warm in the winter and keeps the rain off our heads, I’ll be more than satisfied—I’ll be downright grateful.”

“Something we can talk about on the long ride. We’re going after the treasure,” he told Annie, quickly filling her in on the telegraph wires and Ben’s escape, which meant Tilda was still in danger.

Tilda watched Annie as he talked. She seemed strange, not her usual calm self.

“Are you all right, Tilda?” Annie asked.

“Parts of me ache something fierce, but I think it’s just bruises and stiffness. I’m fine.”

Annie sounded wistful as she said, “How come I never get to go on a treasure hunt?”

Tilda felt immediately guilty. “Do you want to go? You can get Jessica to cover the younger grades, and Lila to teach the older girls. Randal has shown some talent for teaching. He could handle the older boys, I suppose. And Caroline rides better than I do. If you really—”

“Not this time,” Annie said, cutting her off. “But it does seem like you’re having all the fun.”

Based on what Tilda had heard so far of Brody being shot and Josh being bashed over the head twice, Tilda wasn’t sure a treasure hunt was all that fun. It didn’t sound much better than her own narrow escape from Ben.

“Next time, then,” Josh said. “You were always good on the trail and handy with a gun.”

Tilda gave Annie a surprised glance. She seemed quiet and steady, not an outdoors woman really.

Josh went on, “Maybe Michelle can babysit Caroline.”

“She can’t watch Caroline.” Annie shuddered, then gave Cord an apologetic smile. “Don’t get me wrong. Michelle is wonderful. It’s just that she tends to have small explosions happen in her invention shed. It’s no place for a child.”

“We’ll figure that all out later.” Josh loaded up their third saddlebag.

Tilda wondered how long they’d be in the wilderness. Maybe she’d see a deer. Although she probably didn’t have to worry about living off the land anymore.

Annie’s eyes shifted, and she looked nervous. Tilda had to wonder what was going on in her head. She didn’t think they had time to ask.

Josh touched Tilda gently on the back. “We’re all set to go.”

Nodding, Tilda followed Josh out the door with Cord following, carrying two of the saddlebags. Tilda realized she hadn’t heard the man talk for a while. She didn’t know him, of course. Maybe he was always this quiet. She didn’t have time to ask that either. Everything was happening so fast.

No matter what, she felt surrounded, Josh beside her and Cord a pace behind.

She had a husband to guard her. The thought almost startled her, and she wasn’t the type to startle.

She had a husband. That was an unusually pleasant thing.

Josh kept especially close to her as they walked toward the corral.

Five horses stood there already saddled.

“Can your buckskin stallion handle another long ride?” Tilda had seen how worn-out the horse had been just yesterday.

“I wouldn’t take him if we were doing any hard riding. But he’s tough, and he’s had some time to rest a bit. He’s a good horse, one I bought in San Francisco when I left my ship to come home. I like having him along. And the boys ... I mean, the young men...”

Tilda looked sideways at him, and they grinned.

“They are young men now. We need to remember that. I’m just afraid I’m going to slow you down.”

“They’re determined to go,” Josh went on, “and we need to get you away from here. They need me with them because Brody’s not up to it, and he couldn’t find the trail we followed last time even if he was.

” He slid his hand between her shoulder blades, maybe to give her support and encouragement.

Maybe to block any escape attempt. “I think those boys will give us all we can handle if we refuse to go, and I’m not leaving you here alone. ”

“Don’t worry. This trail sounds so remote, Ben shouldn’t know a thing about it.

” She remembered again that Brody had ended up shot on their last treasure hunt and felt a chill race up and down her spine.

She wasn’t a superstitious person, which probably meant being afraid was completely reasonable.

That made her chill turn into a shudder.

* * * *

This was Josh’s fourth time going off on a treasure hunt.

Each time he’d gone farther along the trail left by the map, and it had been a painstaking search because the map was so difficult to decipher.

On this ride he’d gone straight to where he’d ended before, then started slowly picking his way forward.

The first time he, Ellie, and Brody had gone searching for the runaway Thayne and Lock. They’d caught up with them climbing a mountain, about half frozen, and brought them home to thaw out.

The second time, Thayne and Lock had ridden along with Ellie, Brody, and Josh.

Lock and Brody had fallen over a cliff, but they had found the green pond Graham MacKenzie called “Loch Uaine”—the name of a beautiful green lake in the Scottish Highlands.

Not much genius was involved in finding that lake.

Josh would have avoided falling over the cliff if he’d’ve been in charge, and never found it.

Of course, Lock almost died, but they’d found the landmark and knew they were on the right track. Since then, they’d read the map differently and were fortunate they were able to stick to lower elevations, but no one knew where they’d end up.