Buddie Fox

   Gentry Fox stepped out of his law office as people rushed past on their way to the train station. He followed them and saw Blake Habers step down from the coach car. Behind him stood a submissive Amanda. She constantly tugged at the high collar of her dress while Blake held everyone’s attention. Down at the livestock car, Gentry saw a scraggy little mustang being unloaded along with Lady’s Chance.

   Several girls rushed up to Amanda and began to pull on her, but she wouldn’t budge. "Girls, Blake pleaded, "Amanda’s had a long hard ordeal. She needs time to rest and reacquaint herself with her family before she can spend time with her friends."

   "Ordeal my foot," Gentry mumbled. "The only ordeal she’s suffered is at your hands Blake."

   Amanda saw someone turn away from the platform and recognized her lawyer. Of anyone in this town, he would be the only one who would sympathize with her. He might even know of a way to get her back to her home and husband. But right now, the village seemed like a lifetime away. The sick feeling came back and she wanted to run, but Blake was steering her toward their father’s personal hack.

   "Father’s going to be overjoyed to have you home. I just hope you can appreciate what I’ve gone through to bring you back."

   "I never said I wanted to come back," she hissed at him once they were inside. "You threatened to have the village wiped out if I didn’t come with you."

   "You don’t belong with those animals. You belong with your own kind."

   "My own kind," she growled. "You mean the kind that tied me to the bed every night? The kind that forced me to wear these awful clothes? You’re the one treating me like an animal. You’re the one that should be locked up, not me."

   Blake’s hand shot out and landed with a loud slap as he hit Amanda across the face. "You are among civilized people now. You will act as such, or you will never see the outside of your bedroom again. Now, when we get home, you will be the loving daughter that Father expects you to be. If you play your part right, I won’t do anything to that horrid pony you insisted on bringing back with you. Understand me?"

   "Yes Blake," she mumbled, still holding her stinging cheek.

   More curious about Amanda’s experience than her welfare, Gentry and his new wife Amelia Cavanaugh Fox paid the Habers a visit the next day. Amanda was excited to see Gentry at her house. She had been trying to find a way to get into town to see him. But before she could corner him, Amelia swept her up.

   "Amanda darling, that must have been a horrible ordeal you went through. You are a very strong woman to return to us in such wonderful condition."

   "No, Amelia it wasn’t an ordeal. Blake kidnapped me from my husband. He forced me to come back here. He tied me up every night."

   "You have to excuse Amanda," Blake said grabbing his sister by the arm. "She doesn’t know what she’s saying. She’s been babbling on like this since I rescued her."

   "I understand, Blake. The poor girl’s been through so much already. Perhaps she needs to rest."

   Blake tugged on her arm and dragged her back to her room. She looked over his shoulder and pleaded to Gentry with her eyes. When Blake came back, he asked Gentry to join him in the library.

   "As you can see Gent, Amanda just isn’t the same girl. I’m afraid that she’s touched in the head. It’s hard to say if she’ll ever recover. There’s no telling what those savages did to her."

   "What is it that you want me to do," Gentry asked guessing at what it was.

   "I need you to draw up the necessary papers to make me her guardian. She simply isn’t capable of controlling her money."

   "There won’t be a problem doing that. However, I’d like to talk to Amanda myself alone. It seems that she might just be acting like this to make you angry."

   Blake shrugged. "Talk to her if you like, but I don’t think you’d be able to make sense of her babbling."

   "You just leave that up to me," Gent said leaving the library.

   Having been at the Habers mansion many times before, Gentry knew where Amanda’s bedroom was. She practically pulled him into the room when he answered her call. The girl looked up and down the hall before closing the door behind him.

   "You have to help me Gent," she said pacing the room.

   "I kind of thought that when I saw you yesterday. What do you want me to help you with?"

   "Help me get back home. Blake doesn’t understand why I didn’t want to leave. But he threatened to have the whole village wiped out to get me to come home. I wasn’t going to risk everyone’s lives just for me."

   "Did you really get married to one of the bucks?"

   "I married the chief, Desert Wolf."