hapter 1

Buck wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt and straightened himself up. A few feet away from him Kid was laboring away at the same task - placing new fence poles for the new corral.

"What about a break?" Buck asked leaning on the pole.

Kid straightened himself and looked at what they accomplished.

"You'll get no argument from me", he said, tossing the pole he'd been working with aside. They started to walk back to the bunkhouse, with the intention of getting something to drink, when a yell from behind made them turn around. Kid immediately reached for the rifle, when Buck put a restraining hand on his arm.

"Wait", he said tensely. The two riders stood still watching the Indian warrior on the rim of a hill not far from them. Too close for Kid's liking, but he threw a glance at Buck and decided to trust his friend's judgement. The warrior yelled something as he tried to calm his horse. Then as sudden as he had appeared he was gone.

"What the hell was that?" Kid wondered and looked at Buck. Buck still stared at the spot where the Indian had disappeared and ignored Kid's question. Then he started to walk towards the stable as Rachel came out of the house.

"What happened?" she asked. "I thought I heard somebody yell?"

"I don't know", Kid said a bit puzzled and ran after Buck.

When he came into the stable he saw his friend saddling his horse.

"What's this all about?" he demanded.

"I've got to go", Buck answered shortly as Rachel too entered the stable.

"Go where?" Rachel wanted to know as Buck prepared to mount up. Kid took a firm grip of the reins and held Buck's horse.

"Why don't you tell us what's happened?" he asked looking Buck straight in the eyes.

Buck looked at them, and then he sank down in the saddle.

"My brother needs me," he said.

"For what?" Kid wanted to know, not content with the answer.

"I don't know. Kid, I have to go." Buck pleaded, but Kid refused to let go of the reins.

"You're sure you should go?"

"He's my brother."

"Yeah, and I remember how he treated you the last time you went to see him", Kid stated, the memory of the terror he and Ike had endured while Buck had been going through some ritual or other in the Kiowa village still vivid in his mind. Buck had never spoken about it, and they hadn't asked. But whatever it was, Kid still considered it to be torture, and if he could prevent Buck from going through anything like that again he would.

"That was different", Buck replied sternly. Rachel watched in astonishment the word battle that was going on. She had no idea what it was all about or to what Kid was referring, but one thing was clear; as determined as Buck were to go, Kid were equally determined not to let him. She wondered who would win.

"And how do you know that?" Kid wanted to know.

"I just know. Now let go of the reins."

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"I'm not letting you go - not until Teaspoon's back anyway."

"Don't do this, Kid" Buck said seriously, looking at Kid with anger in his eyes. Kid met his eyes and stared back. Rachel stepped back, wondering what she could do. She could almost feel the tension the air.

Suddenly it all happened; Buck slammed his feet into his mount's side in order to try and break free, at the same time as Kid let go of the reins and instead grabbed a hold of Buck's arm pulling him down. With the movement of the horse it all ended in them both falling to the ground, wrestling. One desperate to get free, the other one holding on. The anger soon brought out the fists, and Rachel found her voice.

"Stop it! You hear me? You stop this right now!" Seeing that her words had no result she grabbed hold of the closest, which happened to be Buck.

"What do you think you're doing?" she yelled as she lost her grip on the combatants, as the sound of hoofs announced an arrival. Soon Jimmy stood in the doorway with his gun in his hand. He stopped abruptly and looked at the scene before him.

"Jimmy, help me get these two off each other!" Rachel asked, and Jimmy came to her aid. Soon they managed to get the two boys apart, Jimmy holding on to Kid, and Rachel standing between them.

"Now will you please explain to me what's going on?" she asked.

"Don't let him go!" Kid said, trying to get loose from Jimmy. Buck, who suddenly was free, saw his chance and started to run to his horse.

"Buck, where you're going?" Rachel called after him.

"Damn, Jimmy, let me go. We've got to stop him!" Kid pleaded and with one last effort he managed to get away from Jimmy and rushed out after Buck. Jimmy and Rachel followed in his heels, bewildered and trying to fathom the situation.

Buck was in the process to mount up, when Kid reached him. When Buck felt his hand on his shoulder he turned in anger only to meet Kid's fist coming the other way. Unprepared for the blow, his head went backwards and he fell unconscious to the ground. Kid pushed the horse away and then stood painting over him, when Jimmy and Rachel came up to him.

"What's going on?" Rachel asked in desperation.

"I couldn't let him go." Kid answered trying to catch his breath.

"Well, it looks like you managed that at least," Jimmy said bending over Buck. "You've knocked him out. He wont be pleased when he wakes up."

"I don't care."

"Where was he going?" Rachel wanted to know.

"You remember the scream you heard? It was an Indian. He just showed himself and then he left. When he had left, Buck said he was going to see his brother."

"Then why not let him?"

Kid shook his head.

"Last time he was in the village they put him through some kind of torture. God knows what they want this time."

"I'm sure Buck knows what he's doing."

"Well, I ain't. At least I didn't want him to go until Teaspoon's back. What if the Kiowa are planning to kill him?"

Jimmy and Rachel looked at Kid.

"You think that might be the case?"

"Maybe", Kid mumbled.

"What do you suggest we do then?" Jimmy asked.

"We could lock him up."

Jimmy looked doubtfully on him.

"I'm not sure that's such a god idea," he said. "Look here, Kid, why don't you let Buck decide for himself?"

"And what shall we do if he doesn't come back? Just let him disappear?"

"It's his family, Kid."

"And he left them for some reason. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure he'll be safe if he returns to them. Until I'm sure, I say he stays."

"I still think it's up to Buck."

"If you had seen what I've seen you wouldn't be so sure," Kid insisted. "When the tribe put him through all that torture, he didn't even object! I don't know what kind of hold his brother got on him, but I want let him put Buck through hell again just because he can."

Jimmy looked at Rachel. Kid's word started to get through to them, and they knew that he was genuinely concerned for Buck, to risk his wrath in the way he had done.

"I suppose we can lock him in the shed until Teaspoon's back." Jimmy mumbled. Rachel looked at the boys, unable to understand what had happened.

"All right," she sighed, "but as soon as Teaspoon gets back I want this sorted out. All of it."

Jimmy and Kid carried Buck over to the tool-shed, and making sure there was no way out, they made a temporary bed of hay and placed him on him. Buck moaned as they moved him, and they knew it wouldn't be many minutes until he was conscious.

"I'd sure hate to be in your clothes when he gets out," Jimmy stated as they bolted the door from outside.

"I'll deal with that then," Kid stated coldly, content with having preventing Buck from going. A slight tenderness made him touch his face.

"If that's the only bruise you'll get out of this, I'd say you're lucky," Jimmy smiled. "Tell me, who hits the hardest, Buck or me?"

"You don't want to know." Kid answered as they returned to the bunkhouse. 

 A few miles from the station, Red Bear anxiously awaited his messenger at the temporary camp he had put up for himself and a few of his warriors. When he saw a rider approaching, he rose and walked over to meet him.

"Did you see him? Did you see my brother?"

"Yes. I gave him your message."

"Then he'll be here soon." Red Bear nodded his thanks and the warrior rode off. Red Bear looked at the only tent at the camp and sighed. He hoped his brother would hurry.

Later in the afternoon there was still no sign of Running Buck. Red Bear's hart sank. He couldn't believe that his younger brother would let him down. Although he had told him never to look back, he had hoped that he could count on Running Buck if he ever would need him. And now he needed him, more than ever.

Buck woke up with a slight headache and in darkness. For a moment he wondered what had happened then it dawned on him. He looked around and realized that he was in the tool-shed. Why he was there he didn't understand, but instead of thinking he got up and went to the door. He tried to open it and for a moment he couldn't understand what was wrong until he realized that he was locked in. For a few seconds he just stood there, unable to believe that they actually had locked him in. Then he banged his fists on the door.

"Let me out, Kid!" There was no answer and angry he realized that there was no one around. With a bitter feeling he went back and sat down on the temporary bed, deep in thoughts. He guessed he had to wait until they would let him out.

Chapter 2

[Home] [The Reading Room] [The Library] [E-mail]