the game. He pocketed his meager winnings, crossed the room, and opened the door to leave.
The moment he stepped outside, he sensed that something was wrong. An instant later he realized what it was.
There’d been four horses, besides his own, at the hitching rail. All four horses, including the pair loaded with gear, were still there. But where were the two men who’d left earlier? Thinking they might be relieving themselves in the shadows, Joe checked around the saloon. He found no trace of them.
Why would they leave their horses here and set out on foot unless—
His heart slammed.
Sarah!
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE DOG WOKE SARAH FROM A RESTLESS SLUMBER. SHE COULD HEAR him by the front door, not barking but growling, as if to warn her that something evil was outside.
She slipped out of bed and put on her robe. The house was dark, but squares of moonlight shone through the high windows.
“What is it, boy?” She laid a hand on the dog. His thick hair bristled in a line that went all the way down his back. He growled again, low in his throat.
That was when she heard gruff voices, muffled by the door, then a knock and a voice.
“Ma’am, my boy here is hurt. We need your help.”
Sarah almost answered, then thought better of it. The saloon was still open down the road. If the man outside really needed help—and some instinct told her not to believe him—he could go there.
“Open the door, teacher lady. We know you’re in there.” The second voice was a different one. Two men, at least. Maybe more. If they got in, she would be no match for them. The knock on the door became a pounding.
“Mama, who’s out there?” Blake had come down from the loft to stand behind her. Whatever happened, she had to keep him safe. If only she had a gun—but she’d long since sold the .44 that Joe had given her. She’d needed the money to pay her rent back in Ogallala.
“Mama?” Blake tugged at her robe.
Sarah touched a finger to his lips. “Take Hummy. Go out the side door and sneak through the open place in the passageway, where the woodpile is. Then run around the back and hide in the shed. Don’t come out until I call you. Understand?”
Wide-eyed, the boy nodded. “But who will protect you, Mama?”
“I’ll be fine. Make sure they don’t see you. Run!”
Blake raced off with the dog behind him. The pounding on the door had grown louder. What if the unwelcome guests tried to kick the door in? The wood was thick, but the cheap hinges wouldn’t hold out long. She could’ve kept Humdinger with her, but she’d wanted him to stay with Blake. If the men had guns, they wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a dog; and if, God forbid, they were to find Blake, the big yellow mutt would give his life to protect his young master.
“Go away. I’ve got a gun and I know how to use it,” she lied, trying to distract them while her son hid.
“That’s what they all say.” There was a rough laugh. “Just open the damned door and be nice to us, sweetheart. That’s all we want. Then we’ll go away and leave you with happy memories.”
The words were punctuated by a crashing blow to the door. The hinges creaked in the frame as the men kicked and rammed against the wood. Sarah had nothing heavy enough to brace the door. A few more blows, and they’d be inside. Did they have guns? Did they plan to kill her?
As the screws splintered away from the frame, she plunged out the side door, and raced into the passageway. Going out the side opening could lead the men to her son. But once they were inside the house, she might be able to get out through the schoolroom, without being seen. Then she could get to Blake and run for help.
It was a good plan, but she’d forgotten one thing. She’d locked the door between the passageway and the classroom to make sure Blake didn’t go exploring in there. The key was in the cupboard.
The two men crashed into the house and cornered her in the passageway. She was dragged, kicking, twisting, and biting, into the bedroom and flung onto the bed.
One man held her down while the other man undid his dirty trousers and yanked up her nightgown. Still struggling, she willed herself not to cry out. Whatever happened, she would not let Blake hear his mother