CHAPTER 15

Xena opened the door to the boarding house as quietly as possible and slipped inside. She was halfway to the stairs when Lizzie rushed out of the small parlor.

"Xena! I thought that might be you," she exclaimed. "Did you find her?"

"No."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. That poor girl! Lord knows what she's going through with those horrible men!" Lizzie sighed and turned to Nicholas, who had followed her out of the parlor. "They didn't find her," she told him, then turned back to Xena. "Ellis said you rode out of town right on their trail, so we were hoping you'd catch up with them, but then when you were gone so long . . ."

"We tracked them to the river, but after that we lost the trail," Xena said in a tired voice. "We spent the whole day trying to pick it up again."

"It's this damned rocky ground," Nicholas said. "It's a lawman's nightmare and an outlaw's paradise."

"Well, I've kept your supper warm for you," said Lizzie, "so why don't you come on back to the dining room and eat it. I've got fried chicken, green beans, and cornbread. Oh, and cherry pie, too."

"Thanks, but I'm not really hungry," Xena said. "I think I'll just go on up to my room."

"And do what?" Lizzie asked. "Pace the floor all night because you can't sleep?"

Xena looked at her in surprise and then gave her a weak grin. "Yes, probably so," she admitted.

"Come on," the older woman urged as she took hold of the warrior's arm and drew her along the hallway. "At least try to eat something. We'll sit with you and keep you company, and you can tell us the whole story."

"I'm afraid there's not much to tell," Xena said as she let herself be led to the dining room. Then she sat down in the chair the other woman pulled out for her. Silverware and a napkin had already been laid out on the table.

"I'll just go get your plate," Lizzie said, and she hurried off to the kitchen.

Nicholas had followed them into the room, and now he walked around the table and took a seat opposite the warrior.

"How's Mr. Shipley?" Xena asked him.

"Well, he's got a nasty lump on the back of his head, but that hasn't slowed him down much. He spent the whole day at the bank, fretting over the money that was stolen. And over Gabrielle, too, of course. About an hour ago he finally took my advice and went to bed."

Lizzie came back in and set a plate of food in front of Xena, along with a glass of water.

"We've all been just worried sick about Gabrielle," Lizzie said, taking a seat beside the doctor, "and I'm sure you have been, too."

"Yes," said Xena. She stared at the plate for a few moments, then picked up her fork and thrust it into the beans. Bringing the food to her mouth, she forced herself to chew and swallow. Then she took a drink of water. Glancing up, she saw that the other two were watching, so she reluctantly ate some more beans and then a few bites of cornbread. Several awkward minutes went by before Nicholas, to her great relief, broke the silence.

"Lizzie has been telling me some memories from her life as Lydia -- some she hadn't shared before," he said. "I didn't realize what Gabrielle had already been through."

"I hope you don't mind that I told him," Lizzie added.

"No, it's all right."

"It just doesn't seem right that such a terrible thing could have happened again so soon," the older woman went on.

"It's because I failed to protect her," Xena said grimly. "I failed before, and now I've failed again."

"No, don't say that. It's not your fault," Lizzie protested.

"Yes, it is. I could have prevented this. If I had just gone in to see the bank, like they asked me to, I would have been there when--"

"Of course," cut in Nicholas, "and if I had just kept my son home that day instead of letting him go swimming, he'd still be alive."

Xena stared at him.

"I know what you're doing, Xena," he said. "I did it to myself often enough after Benjamin drowned. But believe me, it doesn't help. What happened has happened, and you can't change that, so there's no use beating yourself up about it."

She drew in a deep breath and let it out again. "I guess you're right," she murmured.

"Eat some more of your supper, Dear," Lizzie said. "You've haven't had more than four or five bites."

Xena picked up a chicken leg, looked at it, and then laid it down again. "I'm sorry. I'm just not hungry," she said.

Lizzie and Nicholas exchanged glances. Then he said, "Maybe Xena would like some wine. Don't you have a bottle hidden away someplace? The Millers aren't here to protest, so I think it would be safe to have a little drink."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Lizzie said. "Would you like some wine, Xena?"

"Yes, very much."

"I'll go get it," she said, getting up. She smiled at Nicholas and he smiled back. Then she touched his shoulder lightly before she left the room.

"Do you have a headache today?" Nicholas asked.

"I had one earlier," Xena said, "but I've been chewing willow bark, so it's pretty much gone now."

He nodded. "I've got a bottle of laudanum for you. Don't let me forget to give it to you. Maybe it will help you sleep, if nothing else."

"Thanks."

Lizzie reappeared with a wine bottle, corkscrew, and three long-stemmed glasses. She handed the bottle and corkscrew to Nicholas, and Xena noticed again how they smiled at each other.

"Is there something going on here that I don't know about?" she asked. "You two seem different tonight somehow."

The older woman smiled and colored slightly. "Well, we didn't know if it was a good time to tell you," she said, "what with you being so worried about Gabrielle and all."

"You can tell me."

"Okay. Well, uh, what happened was that last night after the storytelling, Nicholas and I sat in the parlor and had a really long talk about a lot of things, and well, the result was--" She stopped and blushed again, then turned to the doctor. "You tell her," she said.

He laughed as he carefully pulled the cork out of the wine bottle. "The result of our little talk," he said with a smile, "was that I asked Lizzie to be my wife, and she agreed."

"That's wonderful news," Xena said, smiling back at them. "That makes me feel better than I've felt all day."

"Good. Then I'm glad we told you," Nicholas said. He poured out a glass of the deep red wine and handed it to her.

When the other two had their glasses, Xena raised hers and said, "Here's to many happy years of love and good health for both of you."

"Amen! I'll drink to that!" Nicholas exclaimed.

"Thank you, Xena," said Lizzie. "What a nice toast!"

Then the three of them clinked their glasses together and each took a drink.

"When will the wedding be?" asked Xena.

"We haven't set a date yet," said Nicholas, "but it will probably be soon -- maybe in a month or so. There's really no reason to wait."

"If you're still here, Xena," Lizzie said, "I'd love to have you stand up with me at the ceremony."

"I doubt that I'll be here, but-- Well, if I am, I'll be glad to do that."

"Nicholas is going to move to the boarding house," Lizzie went on, "and we're going to turn the ladies' parlor into his examining room."

"That should work out nicely," Xena said and took a long sip of the cool, sweet wine. "What does Ellis have to say about your engagement?"

"Oh, we haven't told him yet," said Lizzie. "We wanted you to be the first to know."

"Me?"

"Yes," Nicholas said, "because we wanted to thank you. If you and I hadn't had that little discussion last night, I might have stayed stuck in my fear forever. I would never have seen how much Lizzie means to me, and I'm afraid we both would have missed out on a lot of happiness."

Xena smiled and then drank some more wine.

"Of course, maybe you would give me different advice tonight," the doctor went on in a slightly hesitant tone, "now that you've . . . lost Gabrielle."

"I haven't lost her," Xena said, shaking her head. "I'm going to keep looking until I find her. And even if--" She stopped to take a deep breath. "Even if something happens and I can't bring her back," she went on, "I still won't have lost her. She's a part of me now. She's part of everything I do and say. She'll always be right here," the warrior finished, touching her chest.

There was silence after she finished speaking. Lizzie reached for Nicholas' hand and Xena saw that there were tears in her eyes. Tipping her head back, the warrior drained her wine glass and set it on the table. "If you'll excuse me," she said, "I think I'll go on upstairs."

"Can't I talk you into eating some cherry pie?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Xena said. Then she pushed back her chair and stood up.

"I'll get that laudanum for you," Nicholas said. "It's in my bag in the little parlor."

He left the room and headed down the hallway. Lizzie walked with Xena to the staircase.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am that this whole thing happened," the older woman said.

Xena looked at her. "Does this have anything to do with that healing you were talking about?" she asked. "That healing that supposedly won't feel like healing?"

"I don't know," Lizzie admitted. She hesitated for a moment and then said, "You probably won't believe me, but I actually have the feeling that somehow Gabrielle is all right and this is all going to turn out better than we think it is."

"You're right. I don't believe you," Xena said with a sad smile. "But I certainly wish I could."

Nicholas emerged from the parlor with a small, corked bottle in his hand. "Here you are," he said. "This should help chase those headaches away."

"Thanks. What do I owe you for it?"

"Nothing. I'm the one who's in your debt, remember?"

"Okay, if you insist," Xena said and smiled. Then she turned to Lizzie. "Herbert and I are heading out at first light to look for the outlaws again."

Lizzie nodded. "Stop by the kitchen and get some food to take with you," she said. "I'll be up."

"All right."

"And if you need anything during the night, just come knock on my door. I don't mind."

"Thank you, Lizzie. You're a good friend. Good night."

"Good night, Dear," the older woman said, giving Xena a hug.

"Good night, Xena," said Nicholas. He offered her his hand and she clasped it warmly. "Good luck to you tomorrow," he added.

"Thanks. Good night," the warrior said. Then, turning, she started up the steps.

* * *

It was dark in the room, so Xena left the door open until she got the lamp lit. She noted, as she performed the task, that she no longer took much interest in the miracle of flame appearing at the end of the matchstick. Was it because she had grown so soon used to the idea of instant fire, or was it more because of her concern over Gabrielle?

Sighing, she unbuckled her gun belt and hung it over a chair, along with her chakram. Then she began undressing, wondering dully whether it was really worth the effort, since she didn't expect to be able to sleep. After sponging herself off in a perfunctory way at the washbasin, she donned her nightshift and then wandered back over to the table. Her eye fell on Gabrielle's nightshift, which lay in a heap on the floor where the young woman had dropped it. Picking it up, Xena held it close and buried her face in the soft linen fabric, breathing in the gentle scent of her lover which still clung to the garment. After a few moments, she lifted her head and looked around the room, wondering how such a small space could seem so incredibly empty.

She pulled out a chair and sat down, still holding the nightshift. This is where she had sat last night, talking to Gabrielle. What had the bard been so afraid of? Was it this thing that had happened today? Had she somehow known that she would have to endure the horror of being raped again? And where was she now? Was she lying all tied up, bruised and maybe bleeding, on the cold, hard floor of the outlaws' hideaway? Did she wonder why Xena hadn't come to rescue her? Did she blame her for not protecting her?

Xena leaned back in the chair, letting her body sag heavily against the unyielding wooden slats. Nicholas was right. It did no good to think this way. It only clouded the mind and made it impossible to focus on what needed to be done. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to think about the canyons and draws she and Herbert had searched. They should have been able to find the robbers, and yet they hadn't. Where had they gone wrong? What should they do differently tomorrow?

There had been something about that canyon -- the one where they had eaten lunch. She had had the feeling they were onto something there, but what? It made no sense that anyone would hide in a dead-end place like that. Yet she had seen someone there -- or had she? Had it just been her imagination? To go up among the boulders and look would have been suicide if anyone with a gun were really hiding there. Still, she could have at least gone to the end of the canyon and seen for herself that there was no outlet. She would do that tomorrow. And after that -- well, they would figure out something.

Her head was beginning to ache again, which reminded her of the laudanum. Picking up the bottle, she held it in the lamplight and watched the way the light shone dimly through the liquid within. After a moment, she pulled out the cork and put the bottle to her lips. She took a long swallow of the medicine, hesitated, and then took another one. Replacing the cork, she set the bottle back on the table.

Her gaze fell on the book Gabrielle had been reading the night before. She picked it up and turned it over in her hands, noting the scrap of paper the bard had left sticking out from between the pages to mark her place. Opening the front cover, Xena turned to the first page and scanned a few sentences. Then, with a small sigh, she closed the book again, knowing she could not concentrate on it as long as Gabrielle was in danger.

She looked down at the bard's nightshift lying in her lap and ran her fingers softly over the fabric to smooth it. Then she stood up and moved to the wall, where she hung the garment on a peg. Returning to the table, she reached over to turn out the lamp. There were too many things in this room which were painful to see -- too many things which reminded her of Gabrielle.

She made a slow circuit of the dark room on bare feet, noting which of the floorboards creaked. Then she made another circuit in perfect silence. Stopping at the window, she looked out over the rooftops of the neighboring buildings. She could see part of the street, but the only activity seemed to be near the saloons. The clock downstairs chimed ten times, and soon afterwards Xena heard soft voices in the hallway, followed by the sound of the door opening and closing. She caught a glimpse of Nicholas heading home along the boardwalk, and then she heard Lizzie's footsteps on the stairs and in the hallway as she turned out the lamps. Next came the muffled noises of the older woman moving around in the room next door, and after that, a deep silence settled over the house.

Xena remained at the window, staring out at nothing in particular. After a time she noted, but without much interest, that her feet were getting cold. She also noticed that her headache was gone. The laudanum was taking its effect, spreading through her body like a gentle glow, bringing her the first sense of calm that she had felt all day.

Moving to the bed, she pulled back the covers and slipped under them. The straw mattress rustled softly and she lay on her back, staring into the darkness. Her body felt light and easy, as if she were floating in the peaceful waters of a lake. All thoughts of trouble or danger faded slowly away as her eyelids grew heavy and then drifted shut. She wandered in and out of sleep, hearing the clock strike twelve, and afterwards dozing off again until she woke to the lonely chime of one.

Turning on her side, she settled into the new position and was just letting herself slide once more toward slumber when a new sound suddenly made her body go rigid and alert. It was the sound of the downstairs door opening. And now, raising her head and listening carefully, she heard it close again. In one swift movement, she was out of bed. Crossing the room on silent feet, she eased the door open and glided out into thehall.

In the darkness below, Xena saw a vague movement and heard footsteps which sounded more uncertain than stealthy. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and after that the warrior heard a long, weary sigh. Edging forward, she strained her eyes into the blackness, but could make out nothing. "Who's there?" she asked in a low voice.

"Xena, is that you?" the answer came in Greek.

In the blink of an eye, Xena had found her way down the stairs, and was clasping her lover tightly in her arms. Emotion clogged her throat and kept her from speaking for several long moments. But finally she released her hold and pulled back slightly, trying to see the younger woman in the darkness. "Gabrielle," she whispered in Greek, "I've been frantic with worry about you. Are you hurt?"

"No," murmured the bard. "No, I'm not hurt, but I'm really cold and I feel exhausted. I don't know if I can even make it up the stairs."

Without a word, Xena bent and scooped her up. Then, feeling each step carefully with her feet, she began the climb up to the room. "Your dress is all wet," she said softly. "No wonder you're cold."

"I know. I had to cross the river, and it was so dark that I kept slipping on the rocks and falling down. I got pretty well soaked."

"Don't worry. We'll get you warmed up in no time," Xena said.

They had reached the top of the stairs, and now they continued the few paces along the hall and through the open door of their room. Once inside, Xena set Gabrielle's feet on the floor, and then, as she straightened up, she felt the younger woman's arms go around her in a sudden, fierce embrace.

Holding her lover's trembling body tightly against her own, Xena pressed her face against the damp, tangled hair and breathed a deep sigh of relief. But after a few moments, she pulled away. "You're shivering," she said. "We need to get those wet clothes off of you."

She turned to close the door and was surprised to see a light moving in the hallway. A moment later, Lizzie appeared in the doorway.

"Xena?" she said. "Are you all right? I thought I heard voices."

"I'm fine, and guess who's here," Xena said with a grin as she drew the older woman into the room and then stood aside to let her see.

"Oh my Lord! Gabrielle!" Lizzie exclaimed. She set her lamp on the table and rushed to embrace the young woman. "You can't imagine how worried we've been," she said. "Did they hurt you, Child?"

"No. I got away before they could do anything to me."

"Got away! Well, aren't you the clever one!" Lizzie said, hugging her again. "Your clothes are all wet," she observed.

"Yes, we were about to get those off and try to warm her up," Xena said. She pulled out a chair, and Gabrielle sank down on it. Then the warrior knelt and began unlacing the soggy leather boots.

"What can I do?" Lizzie asked. "Would you like a glass of warm milk, Gabrielle?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful, thanks."

"Good. How about some food? Are you hungry?"

"A little, but I think I'm too tired to eat much," Gabrielle said.

"I've got cherry pie," Lizzie coaxed. "Surely you could eat a piece of cherry pie."

Gabrielle smiled and nodded. "Yes, I think I could eat that."

"Fine. I'll get it for you," Lizzie said. Then she added, "How about you, Xena? You didn't eat much supper. Do you want something now?"

"No, but thanks, Lizzie," said the warrior, glancing up.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you," she said, frowning and shaking her head in mock despair. Then, going to the table, she lit the other lamp. "Anything else I can get you?" she asked, picking up her own light. "Do you have enough blankets?"

"Yes, I think we'll be fine," Xena said.

"All right. I'll be back soon," Lizzie said, then she turned and left the room.

* * *

Xena finished unlacing Gabrielle's boots and pulled them off. Then she looked up, noting that the bard's face appeared pale and drawn in the lamplight. "I was so afraid of what those bastards were going to do to you," she said softly, switching back to Greek. And rising up on her knees, she clasped Gabrielle's cold hands between her own. "I tried so hard to fi nd you. I looked all day long. Herbert did, too, but once we lost the trail, we just couldn't seem to pick it up again."

"I know," Gabrielle said. "I never doubted that you were looking for me, but that place where those men hide out, it's in a kind of secret canyon or something. It's very hard to find."

"Do you think you could find it again?"

She nodded. "I made a little pile of rocks to mark which canyon it's in," she said.

"Good," Xena said. "We need to go there first thing in the morning, with Herbert, and try to catch them before they can get away."

"Okay," Gabrielle said and shivered.

Reminded of what she was supposed to be doing, Xena quickly released Gabrielle's hands and began unbuttoning the wet dress. "Tell me what happened," she urged. "How did you manage to get away from them?"

"Well, at first I was so scared that I couldn't think about anything, really," Gabrielle began in a low voice. "I was just so sure I was going to be raped again." She paused for a moment and then went on. "But as we were riding, I began to realize that I had a little time before anything happened, and that if I could just focus, maybe I could come up with some kind of plan. So I started thinking about those rules of survival you told me a long time ago, and I tried to decide what I should do."

"Good for you," Xena said, nodding. "Now, stand up for a minute so I can get these clothes off of you."

Gabrielle stood and Xena pulled the wet dress down over her lover's shoulders and hips, followed by the petticoat, and then helped her step out of them. "Okay, now turn around so I can unlace this other thing," she instructed. "What's it called?"

"A chemise," Gabrielle said. Then she added, "I feel like I should be helping you get me undressed, but I'm so tired I can hardly see straight."

"No problem," Xena said with a grin as she slid the undergarment down. "I like undressing you, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," said Gabrielle, giving a weak grin in return.

Moving quickly to the wall, Xena retrieved Gabrielle's nightshift from the peg where she had hung it, brought it back and helped the younger woman put it on. Then, pulling a blanket off the bed, she wrapped it around her and sat her back down in the chair. "Go on with your story," she said. "You didn't get very far."

"Oh. Well, let's see. We went along the road a ways and then we turned off and crossed an open area to some trees. Bill kept looking around to see if anyone was following us, and when we got to the trees, he stopped and took that red cloth from around his neck and tied it over my eyes."

Xena sat cross-legged in front of Gabrielle and reached for the sheepskin, which she wrapped around one of the bard's feet. Then, taking the other foot in her lap, she began trying to massage some warmth back into it. >From this angle, she could see several bruises on the young woman's shins and knees, probably the result of falling on the slippery rocks.

"We went on a little ways," Gabrielle continued, "and then we came to the river. We waded in and went toward the left, and after a while, we came out on the other side. It sounded like the ground was rocky, so I was afraid we weren't leaving any footprints."

"You weren't, believe me," Xena said with a cynical smile. "What happened after that?" she asked.

"Well, after that, we just rode along for a while, but I couldn't see where we were going, of course. So I asked Bill where he was taking me, and he said he couldn't tell me. And then I asked him how far it was, and he told me to stop asking questions. He still kept turning around to look behind us, so I started talking about you and what a great warrior you were and how you had led armies and killed thousands of people. And I also said that you were really good at tracking and that you could find anybody, no matter where they tried to hide."

"Yeah, right," Xena said, snorting. "Well, we know just how true that turned out to be."

"It didn't matter if it was true or not," returned Gabrielle. "The point was just to make him worry about the fact that you were looking for him."

"And did it work? Did he get worried?"

"Yes, I think so, although he didn't admit it. He just told me to shut up because someone might hear us."

Xena nodded, then she switched her massage efforts to Gabrielle's other foot.

"Anyway, pretty soon we got to the cabin," the bard said, using the English word.

"Cabin?"

"Yeah, that's what they call it. It's just this little, one-room house and the walls are made out of logs stacked on top of each other."

"Logs? Really?"

"Really. They're notched at the ends so they fit together, and then the spaces between them are filled with mud."

"So I guess he took the blindfold off of you."

"Yes, but only after we got inside. Then he made me sit on the floor, which was made out of really rough boards, and he tied me to the frame of the bed, only it's like two beds, with one right above the other. And he tied my feet, too. I asked him where the other men were, and he said they went the other way. I don't know what he meant by that."

"There's probably a second way to get to the cabin," Xena said. "If there was only one way, it wouldn't be a very good hideout because they could get trapped there."

"Yeah. That makes sense."

"Did you see the Cronus Stone while you were there?"

"No, I didn't, come to think of it. I was so worried about what they were going to do to me that I totally forgot to look for it. But if it had been sitting out in plain sight, I'm sure I would have noticed."

"Let's just hope they've hidden it someplace, and haven't sold it or anything."

Hearing Lizzie's steps on the stairs, Xena tucked Gabrielle's foot back under the sheepskin and got up to open the door.

The older woman smiled at them as she came into the room, carrying a tray in one hand and the lamp in the other. "I brought pie and milk for both of you," she said, setting the tray on the table. Then she handed one of the glasses to Gabrielle. "How are you doing, Dear?" she asked. "Are you getting any warmer?"

"Yes, I think I'm finally starting to thaw out," Gabrielle said. She slipped her arms out through the folds of the blanket, took the milk and began drinking in long, eager swallows. The glass was half empty when she stopped. "I guess I was really thirsty," she admitted. "Thanks, Lizzie."

"You're more than welcome," Lizzie said. "It's the least I could do after everything you've been through today." She handed Gabrielle a piece of pie on a plate, then gave the other glass of milk and serving of pie to Xena.

"Thanks," said the warrior and sat down on the floor. She was surprised at how hungry she suddenly felt. Raising the glass to her lips, she took a long, slow drink, then dug into the pie with her fork. "Gabrielle was about to tell me how she got away from the outlaws," she said to Lizzie with her mouth full.

"Oh, I'd like to hear that story myself," the older woman said as she settled herself in the other chair.

Gabrielle swallowed a mouthful of pie, then addressed herself to Lizzie. "Well, like I already told Xena, Bill Garrison took me to this little cabin back in a canyon and tied me up. I told him that Xena and Sheriff Lees were sure to find the hideout soon because Xena was such a good tracker, and he said, 'If she shows up here, I'll just have to kill her.' Then he told me if I didn't keep quiet, he might kill me, too, so I didn't say much after that."

She grinned and took a quick bite of pie. Then she went on. "I could tell he was worried, though," she said, "and when the other two got there, he went outside and they all stood around and talked about what they should do." She swallowed, then gulped some milk. "In the end," she said, "Bill and that one named George went off on foot, and they left the third guy, Isaiah, there in the cabin with me."

"Isaiah," Xena said. "He's the one who rode off with the money bag, isn't he?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"What did he do?" asked Lizzie. "Did he try to hurt you?"

"Well, no, because Bill gave him strict instructions not to do anything until they got back. I guess Bill wanted to be the first to . . . you know. But I could tell Isaiah was really tempted. He came in the cabin and sat down and just kept looking at me in a horrible, lecherous sort of way."

"How awful!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"Yes, it was," agreed Gabrielle, "but I realized that with only one outlaw to deal with, maybe I could somehow fool him and get away, so I started trying to talk to him."

"What on earth can you talk about with a man like that?" asked Lizzie.

Xena laughed. "Don't worry," she said. "If there's anyone who can talk to anybody about anything, it's Gabrielle."

The younger woman laughed, too. "Xena's right," she said. "So I just started asking him things, like where was he from and how long had he been an outlaw, and if it was fun to rob banks. And pretty soon he got to talking, telling me all about himself, and then before long he came over and sat down on the floor by me. He got real close and began saying he thought I was pretty, and stuff like that, but he smelled really bad, like he hadn't had a bath in quite a while. And then he started touching me -- first my face, and then -- other places." Her voice broke and she stopped speaking. She stared down at her empty pie plate for a moment and then set it on the table.

Xena laid aside her own plate and slid across the floor to sit beside Gabrielle. Reaching up, she clasped one of the younger woman's hands in her own.

"I'm sorry," Gabrielle said with a weak smile. "I don't know why this part of the story is so hard to tell."

"We understand," Xena said softly. "Just take your time."

"Well, the worst part," Gabrielle said after a moment, "was that I had to pretend I was enjoying it all. I told him that if he untied me, I could really make him feel good. But he said Bill would get mad if we did anything, so I said I would just give him a little backrub."

"Mmm," said Xena with a grin. "Who could pass up one of Gabrielle's backrubs?"

"She's pretty good, is she?" said Lizzie.

"The best!"

"Well, only because Xena taught me everything she knows," Gabrielle said, squeezing the warrior's hand. She smiled at Lizzie and then went on with her story. "Anyway, I eventually talked Isaiah into untying me, and at first he just kept trying to kiss me. But finally I got him to lie down on the bed and I started rubbing his shoulders, and when he got all nice and relaxed and closed his eyes, I hit him over the head with a stick of firewood."

Xena laughed. "I guess I'll think twice before I ask Gabrielle for another backrub," she said.

"I don't blame you," Lizzie agreed, grinning. Then she turned to the bard. "Did you run away after that?" she asked.

"Yes. I went out the back door and started sneaking along the canyon, hiding behind every rock and bush I could find. I was really scared that Bill and George would come back and catch me, but I didn't see them anywhere. So after a while, I climbed partway up the side of the canyon and found a little rock ledge hidden behind some grass and shrubs, and I crawled in under it."

"Lordy, Gabrielle!" said Lizzie with a shudder. "You could have been bit by a rattlesnake, crawling in a place like that!"

"Oh. Well, I didn't think about that. I was just looking for a good place to hide. I figured it would be better to wait until dark and then try to find my way back to town."

"That sounds like a good plan," said Xena, "and one that apparently worked."

"Yes, it worked," Gabrielle returned, "but I had to wait for hours, and I was terrified the whole time that they were going to find me. I hadn't been there too long when I heard two shots, not very far away. My first thought was that they had killed Xena," she said, glancing at the warrior, "or maybe Xena and Herbert both. But then I realized maybe it meant Xena had killed--"

"Wait a minute!" Xena exclaimed. "You heard two shots? Just two, and then no more?"

"Right."

"Herbert fired two shots. He and I were in a strange little dead-end canyon and I thought I saw someone moving, up among the rocks. So Herbert fired a couple of times to try to get them to shoot back, but no one did."

"Are you saying you were in the same canyon where Gabrielle was hiding?" Lizzie asked.

"No, we couldn't have been, because Herbert and I went almost all the way to the end of our canyon and there was no cabin there. But we must have been close by."

Gabrielle nodded. "See?" she said to Xena. "You really were pretty much on their trail, but you just didn't know it. And that person you saw -- maybe that was George or Bill."

"Maybe so," agreed the warrior, "if I really saw someone. At least it would make sense that they wouldn't return our fire if they didn't want us to know how close we were."

"Yes, that would explain it," said Lizzie, "but I just keep thinking about poor Gabrielle, hiding there all day long under that rock ledge. Did those outlaws ever come looking for you, Child?"

"Yes, they did. Not too long after the shots, I heard Bill and George going back along the canyon toward the cabin. And a little while after that, they started looking for me. One of them walked past not more than three paces from where I was hiding. I don't know which one it was -- all I could see were his boots -- but he stopped right there and I thought for sure he would look under the ledge, but he didn't. He just went on." She stopped and gave the other two a weak grin. "It was a long time before I could breathe again, though," she added.

"Yes, I imagine it was," said Lizzie, nodding her head.

"So then you just stayed there until it got dark?" asked Xena.

"Right. I think it was the longest day of my life," Gabrielle said. "Even after the sun went down, it seemed to take forever before it got dark. And then, of course, I couldn't see where I was going, but I kind of slipped and slid down to the canyon floor and I followed the little stream. I figured it would eventually lead me back to the river."

"Good thinking," said Xena.

"The only thing was that after a while, the canyon got really narrow and then it just seemed to end in a bunch of trees and bushes."

"It seemed to end?" said the warrior.

"Yes, but the stream kept going, so I kept following it, and it turned out there was a passageway there -- just enough space for someone on horseback to get through between the rocks and brush, and then it opened out into another canyon."

"Another canyon!" exclaimed, Xena. "That must be the one where Herbert and I were. We thought it was a dead end, but apparently there's an opening, like you said."

"So that would explain why Gabrielle could hear the shots, even though you weren't in the same canyon -- or not exactly," said Lizzie.

Xena nodded. "That would explain it, all right," she said. "If I had just gone down there and looked, I might have seen that opening and we could have found the cabin."

"Well, it's really hard to see, so I'm not surprised you didn't find it," Gabrielle said.

"That sure does beat all," Lizzie said, shaking her head. "No wonder those outlaws have been able to hide so close to town all these years without anybody finding them."

"We're going to go after them tomorrow, first thing," said Xena. Then, turning to Gabrielle, she added, "And now that I know how to find the canyon, you don't even need to go with us, unless you want to."

"But I do want to. I'd like to see those scum get what's coming to them," she said and then she yawned.

"Do you two want anything else to eat or drink?" Lizzie said. "I should have asked earlier, but I got all interested in Gabrielle's story and forgot."

"No, we're fine," Xena said, glancing at the younger woman for confirmation. "I think what we need now is to get some sleep."

"Yes, morning will be here before we know it," said Lizzie, getting up from her chair. "Why don't I take Gabrielle's clothes and boots downstairs and put them near the cookstove to dry," she offered. "The fire's been banked, but it's still warmer down there than it is up here. I'll come back for those plates and glasses tomorrow," she added.

"Thank you, Lizzie," said Gabrielle. She bent down to unwrap the sheepskin from around her feet and then stood up.

"I'm just so glad you're back home, safe and sound," the older woman said, giving her a hug. "Sleep well. You too, Xena," she added, reaching down to pat the warrior on the head. Then, picking up the clothes and her lamp, she went to the door, turned long enough to smile at them, and then disappeared into the hallway.

Xena got stiffly to her feet and set her plate on the table. Gabrielle was already heading for the bed.

"Do you want to wash up or anything?" asked the warrior.

"No. I'll do it in the morning," the bard said. Taking off the blanket she'd been wearing, she spread it over the bed and then crawled under the covers.

Xena watched her for a moment before blowing out the lamp. Crossing the room, she lay down beside Gabrielle and wrapped her arms around her. "Are you warm enough?" she asked softly, switching to the more intimate-sounding Greek.

"Yeah, I'm fine," murmured the younger woman, burying her face against the warrior's neck.

"I am so proud of you, Gabrielle," Xena said. "You kept your head even though you were in a very bad situation, and you found a way to get out of it, without help from me or anybody else."

"I did all right, didn't I?"

"You did more than all right," the warrior said. "Most people would have let themselves become victims, but you didn't. You used your skills and your knowledge to good advantage. And now you're back here, and I'm holding you in my arms again. I can't tell you how good it feels."

"Uh-huh. It feels good to me, too," mumbled Gabrielle.

Xena knew she should let her fall asleep, but she couldn't -- not when there were things she still needed to know. "Gabrielle?" she said.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think this is what you've been so afraid of? This thing that happened today?"

"I don't know. Maybe. But in a way, I still feel afraid -- like there's something else that's going to happen."

"Something else? What do you mean?"

"I don't know, Xena. Can we talk about it in the morning? I'm too tired right now."

"Okay, Sweetheart. I'm sorry," Xena said and softly stroked Gabrielle's hair. "Good night," she added, but there was no answer. She heard her lover's breathing deepen and the clock downstairs strike twice. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to relax, but her mind was still too active -- full of images from Gabrielle's story and plans for the next day's raid on the outlaws' cabin.

After a time, she fell into a light sleep, but woke periodically to assure herself that her lover was really there, safe in her arms again. Then, shortly after the clock struck four, she drifted into deeper slumber and dreamed she was riding Argo along the river, searching for Gabrielle. She could find no tracks to follow, but filled with a frantic sense of desperation, she pushed herself and her mount ever onward. Then, rounding a bend, she saw a boat tied up at the shore. It looked strangely familiar and yet she could not place it. Nor could she see the face of the boatman. She stopped to watch and was surprised when Gabrielle emerged from the trees and approached the boat. After a brief conversation, the young woman offered the man a coin, and he held out his hand to help her aboard. At that moment, Xena felt the cold shock of recognition. It was Charon, ferryman of the underworld. "No!" she cried. "Gabrielle, no!"

The cry woke both her and her companion, and she opened her eyes in the pre-dawn light to see her lover leaning over her.

"Xena, what is it? What's wrong?" Gabrielle asked, gently brushing the hair back from the warrior's face.

"I-- I had a dream."

"Must have been a bad one."

"It was. I was looking for you all along the river, but I couldn't find you."

Gabrielle smiled. "Well, now you did. I'm right here beside you."

"Yes, so you are," Xena said with a weak grin. She reached up to touch Gabrielle's cheek, then pulled her close in a strong embrace.

"You're trembling," Gabrielle said, raising her head to look at the warrior again.

"Am I? Well, I'll be all right in a minute. You lie down and try to go back to sleep."

"That shouldn't be too hard," said Gabrielle. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm sure."

She laid her head on the warrior's chest, and after a few minutes Xena felt her relax into slumber once more. But for herself, she knew there would be only wakefulness now. The chill of the dream still lingered deep within her. Why would she have dreamed such a thing when Gabrielle was lying, secure and warm, right there in her arms? Was it a portent of the future? She had never before had a dream of that nature, so why should this one be different? Surely it was just a symbol of the fear she always carried with her -- the fear of losing Gabrielle. Yes, that made sense, she decided at last, and she resolutely shut the image of Charon's boat out of her mind.

She lay there for some minutes longer, staring at the gray shadows on the ceiling, then carefully slipped out of Gabrielle's embrace.

"Where are you going?" the bard asked sleepily.

"Just to tell Herbert that you're back. You stay here and sleep a little while longer. I'll bring some breakfast up for you."

"Okay," said Gabrielle, turning over on her back and closing her eyes again.

Moving quietly about the room, Xena got dressed and put on her gun belt and chakram. She started toward the door, but then stopped and went back to stand beside the bed. The sight of her lover lying there asleep in the soft morning light stirred an ache of longing deep inside her. "I love you, Gabrielle," she whispered, then reluctantly turned and left the room.

CHAPTER 16

Xena hoisted the heavy saddle onto Argo's back and reached under the mare's belly for the cinch strap. "Gabrielle," she said, glancing over her shoulder at her companion, "you know, the more I think about it, the more I think it would be better for you to stay here instead of going with us."

"No, Xena, don't start that. I want to go, and I'm going. That's the end of it."

Sighing, Xena threaded the strap through the buckle and pulled it up tight. "If we actually find those guys, there could be some shooting," she said, "and I may not be able to protect you. I can't just catch a bullet in flight the way I can an arrow or a spear."

"I know," Gabrielle said quietly. "I'm not asking you to protect me. I'm just asking you to let me go with you. Besides, after yesterday, I feel more like I can take care of myself now."

Xena turned to face the younger woman and put a hand on her shoulder. "Why is this so important to you?" she asked. "You were perfectly happy to stay in town the other days."

"That's true, and I can't really explain it, but I just feel like I need to go today -- like I'm supposed to be there for whatever's going to happen."

"All right, let's get going then," the warrior said. She still felt uneasy about the situation, but knew better than to argue once Gabrielle's mind was made up. She led Argo out of the stable and swung herself into the saddle. Then she reached down to pull Gabrielle up behind her.

Herbert was waiting for them, chewing thoughtfully on a toothpick while he sat astride his white stallion. "Are we ready?" he asked, tossing the toothpick aside.

Xena nodded and touched her heels to Argo's flanks. The two horses started down the road, cantering side by side in the early-morning sunlight. A mist hung over the meadows and the air still felt chilly. Xena was glad for the warmth of Gabrielle's body pressed against her back and the arms wrapped around her waist.

They slowed to a walk as they turned off the road and started across the rocky field, and Gabrielle laid her head against the warrior's shoulder. "When we get home," she said, "I think I'm going to take a long nap."

Xena wondered if by "home" Gabrielle meant the boarding house or Greece, but she didn't ask.

"I have the feeling this is all just a wild-goose chase," said Herbert as they entered the trees near the river. "Those three are probably long gone -- that is, if they have any sense at all."

"Yes, it seems like once they figured out Gabrielle got away they would know she'd lead us to their hideout," Xena agreed. "But we have to go see, at least. And maybe we can pick up their trail from the cabin."

"I don't really have the time or the jurisdiction to follow them very far," Herbert said. "But I can issue a 'wanted' notice to the surrounding states and territories." He urged his horse into the river and Xena followed.

"I'll go after them, if I have to," she said. "I'm not worried about jurisdiction, but I am worried about getting that Cronus Stone back."

Herbert glanced over his shoulder at her, frowning. "Well, we'll talk about what to do once we find out what the situation is," he said.

They rode on in silence for a few minutes, then Gabrielle said, "I think I like riding in the river a lot better than wading in it."

Xena laughed. "Did your dress ever get dry?" she asked.

"Not totally. The bottom of the skirt is still pretty damp, and so are my boots."

"Lizzie offered you a different dress."

"Yes, but I hate to get another of her dresses all dirty and torn. I don't think she has very many."

"Probably not," Xena agreed.

They left the river at the mouth of the canyon. Herbert reined his horse to a halt and looked back at Gabrielle. "This is the canyon we were in yesterday when I fired those two shots," he told her. "Is this the right one?"

Gabrielle looked around for a moment and then pointed. "Yes! There's the pile of stones I made last night," she said, "so that means this is the right place."

"Good. Let's go," said Xena. She started Argo moving forward, and Herbert followed. The canyon floor still lay in shadow at this hour, although the sun was now hitting the tops of the sloping walls. They went slowly, following the twists and turns of the small stream, and as they went, Xena felt the back of her neck begin to tingle. It was a sensation which almost always meant she was being watched. Slowing the pace even more, she scanned their surroundings carefully, and although she saw nothing, her uneasiness continued to grow. As they neared the place where she and Herbert had eaten lunch the previous day, Xena pulled Argo to a halt and waited for the sheriff to catch up.

"What's wrong?" whispered Gabrielle. "Did you see something?"

"No," Xena whispered back, "but I'm getting a really bad feeling about this place." Then, as Herbert came up beside them, she turned to him. "I'm afraid we may be riding into an ambush," she said in a low voice.

He cast an appraising glance at the canyon walls. "Well, this would be a good place for one," he said, "but I haven't seen anything suspicious. Have you?"

"No," she admitted. "It's just a feeling I get sometimes -- a feeling I've learned to trust."

"Do you want to turn back?" he asked.

Xena considered for a moment. "No," she said. "We need to go on and try to get to that cabin, but I think we should be on the alert."

"All right," Herbert said, drawing his gun. "I'll ride in front."

Xena opened her mouth to protest, but then remembered she had Gabrielle to protect. "Okay," she said, nodding. Drawing her own pistol, she cocked the hammer and held the weapon ready as they started forward again.

A deathlike silence had fallen over the canyon, broken only by the clopping of the horses' hooves on the rocky ground. Xena strained her senses to catch any sound or movement which might spell danger. At her waist, she felt Gabrielle's clasped hands begin to tremble. Argo, too, seemed to be on the alert, looking around with neck arched and ears pricked forward.

They had only gone about a hundred paces when Xena saw what she had been watching for -- a man moving behind some bushes up on the canyon's side. "Herbert!" she shouted.

But he had seen it, too, and as the first shot rang out, he fired an answering one. Xena also fired, but as she did so, Argo spooked at the sound of the whining bullets, and the shot went wild. In that instant, the warrior realized that she should have spent some time practicing her marksmanship on horseback, as well as accustoming her mount to the sound of gunfire.

"Steady, Girl," she called out in Greek as she wheeled the mare around and squeezed off another shot. This one appeared to come closer to the mark, and she was about to try again when a bullet screamed past from a different source. Quickly scanning the canyon's side, she spotted the second gunman just as he appeared over the top of a boulder and took aim at Herbert. It was Isaiah. She recognized him just as she pulled the trigger. Then, in the next moment, she saw the outlaw drop his gun and clutch his chest as he toppled over behind the stone.

"I got one!" she cried triumphantly.

"Good!" Herbert shouted back. "Now let's take cover before they get us!" He reined his horse's head toward the low willow trees on the other side of the stream.

Xena was just steering Argo in the same direction when suddenly she heard a shot fired from close at hand. The nervous mare whirled around, and as she did so, the warrior caught a glimpse of Bill Garrison crouching behind some shrubs at the base of the canyon wall. She aimed and fired. The bullet ricocheted off the stones with a loud zing which sent Argo skittering into another spin.

All at once, Xena felt Gabrielle's body slam against her own. The younger woman gave a choked cry, her arms tightening convulsively around the warrior's waist for a brief moment before letting go entirely. Only then did the sound of the shot register in Xena's mind.

"Gabrielle!" she screamed, as she felt her lover's body go limp and slip to the left. Dropping the reins, she reached an arm back to steady the younger woman.

"What happened?" Herbert called.

"Gabrielle's been shot!"

"Get her out of here!" he shouted, waving in the direction they had come from. "I'll cover you!" he added, firing a quick shot at each of the remaining outlaws.

With neither hand free to guide her mount, Xena pressed one knee hard against the mare's side and called out in Greek, "Argo, fall back!" The horse obeyed instantly, wheeling and taking off at a gallop down the canyon as the warrior fired a parting shot in Bill Garrison's direction.

Thrusting her revolver back into the holster, Xena picked up the reins and pulled back on them to slow Argo's pace. Her left arm felt cramped from the effort of supporting Gabrielle's weight at such an awkward angle, and she knew she couldn't hold her much longer. Rounding another bend in the canyon, she decided it was safe to stop.

"Gabrielle," she called, as she twisted around, trying to see. "Gabrielle, can you hear me?" But there was no answer. "Gabrielle!" Xena cried again, and felt a wave of icy fear sweep over her. She was just trying to think how to get her wounded companion safely to the ground, when she heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats.

A moment later, Herbert galloped into view. Leaping off before his horse had even come to a stop, he ran to Argo's side and reached up for Gabrielle. She groaned as he lifted her down.

"She's still alive," Xena breathed in relief.

Herbert lowered the young woman gently to the ground and, leaping out of the saddle, Xena hurried over to kneel beside her.

"Here's where the bullet went in," the sheriff said, pointing to the hole with its spreading stain to the right of Gabrielle's spine, about halfway down her back. "I don't see any place where it came out, though," he went on, rolling her carefully onto her side to get a better view.

"So the bullet is still in there," Xena said.

"Yes."

"Is that bad?"

"Well, I guess it depends on what it hit and how much damage it did. But in your case, it's good because if it had gone on through--"

"It would have hit me."

"Exactly."

"I wish it had hit me instead of hitting Gabrielle," Xena said. She reached out to pull the young woman over so that she was lying facedown across her thighs. "I should never have let her come with us."

"Don't start that, Xena," Herbert said. "It won't help us now." He pulled a folded white handkerchief out of his back pocket and pressed it against the wound. "We've got to get the bleeding stopped and get her to Nick's office."

Xena nodded. She laid her fingers on the pulse in Gabrielle's neck. It was weak and fast, and the breathing seemed erratic. Brushing the hair back from her lover's face, she noted the pallor of the skin and the thin sheen of cold perspiration.

"This isn't going to do the trick. I need something else," Herbert said, lifting the now-soaked handkerchief off the wound.

"Cut the bottom off her skirt and use that," Xena suggested.

"Good idea," he said, pulling out his pocketknife.

Gabrielle gave a small moan and began to vomit.

Xena bent over her, lifting her head and holding it until the spasms ended. Herbert handed her a piece of the calico skirt and she used it to wipe the bard's face.

"Xena?" murmured Gabrielle.

"I'm right here, Sweetheart," the warrior said, turning the younger woman's face toward her.

"What happened?"

"You got shot in the back."

"With an arrow?"

"No, with a bullet."

"It hurts so bad."

"I know, Love. I know it hurts, but you have to be brave for a little while until Herbert and I can get you back to town. Then Nicholas will give you some morphine for the pain and he'll get the bullet out. You'll feel all better in no time."

Gabrielle groaned again and clutched at Xena's leg with weak fingers.

"What did she say?" Herbert asked, looking up from the thick pad of fabric he was holding over the wound.

Xena glanced at him, wondering if there was something wrong with his hearing. Then she realized that she and Gabrielle had been speaking Greek. "She's in a lot of pain," she explained. "And I'm not sure she understands what happened."

"I'm not surprised," he said softly. "Here. Can you hold this for a minute?" he asked, nodding at the compress. "I'll cut some more strips so we can tie it in place."

Xena put her hand on the pad and pressed down. Gabrielle moaned sharply.

"I'm sorry," the warrior said, gently stroking the younger woman's hair. "I don't want to hurt you, but we have to get the bleeding stopped."

"Don't leave me," Gabrielle said in a choked voice.

"I won't, Sweetheart," Xena said quickly. "I'll be right here with you every minute."

Herbert tore several long strips from the bottom of Gabrielle's petticoat, then began binding them around her body over the compress and tying them. "Do you think that will hold it?" he asked when he had finished.

"It ought to," said Xena, nodding.

"All right. How do you want to do this?"

Xena considered for a moment. "I'll get on Argo and you can lift Gabrielle up to me," she said. "I'll hold her in front of me, across the saddle."

"Are you sure you can hold her that long? Maybe it would be better if I did it."

"No. I can do it," Xena said firmly.

"Okay," Herbert said. He rolled the wounded bard over carefully and picked her up.

Xena climbed into the saddle and then moved back to sit behind it. Herbert lifted Gabrielle up, wincing visibly as she cried out in pain. They positioned her so that she was sitting crossways, her back supported by Xena's arm and her head against the warrior's shoulder.

"Will that work all right?" asked Herbert.

"Yes, this is fine," Xena said, and then as Gabrielle moaned again, she added, "I only wish there were some way to do it without hurting her."

"I wish so, too. Let me just wash some of the blood off my hands and we can get going," he said, then went and knelt beside the stream.

Xena looked down at her lover, noting that although her eyes were open, she didn't seem to be focusing on anything in particular. "Gabrielle," she said softly. "How are you doing?"

The younger woman looked up at her. "Are we going home now?" she asked in a weak voice.

"Soon, Love. Very soon. But first we have to go see the healer."

"Nicklio?"

"Yes," Xena said with a wry smile. "We're going to see Nicklio."

"I took you there one time, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. Now, don't talk anymore, Gabrielle. You need to save your strength."

But the younger woman's voice rambled on. "I took you all the way to Mt. Nestos," she said, "and it was snowing and my leg hurt."

"That was a very brave and loving thing you did for me," Xena said softly.

"I took you all that long way there and then you died," Gabrielle concluded in a tired voice.

"Shh. Rest now," Xena said, stroking her lover's hair while she tried to ignore the sudden chill that clutched her gut.

Gabrielle looked up at her again. "Xena, am I dying?" she asked.

"No, Sweetheart, of course not. You've been badly wounded and you're in a lot of pain, but you're strong and you're going to pull through this."

"I feel so sick," she whispered, then began to vomit again.

"Herbert," Xena called. "Can you get me a wet cloth?"

He was on the way to his own horse, but quickly changed direction. Coming over to stand beside Argo, he looked first at Gabrielle and then at Xena.

"You know," he said softly as he began tearing another piece off Gabrielle's skirt, "Nick is a very good doctor, but he's not God. There are some things that even he can't heal."

"I know," Xena said, and she understood what he was trying to tell her.

Turning, Herbert went to the stream and stooped down to wet the fabric.

"Thanks," Xena said when he brought it back, then added, "We need to get going."

"All right," he said, then he mounted and gestured for her to lead the way.

* * *

The trip back to town seemed to take forever. They went slowly, trying to avoid jarring Gabrielle, and used a different road so that they would come out at the end of town where the doctor's office was.

"I'll ride ahead and tell Nick we're coming," Herbert said when they got close.

"Okay," Xena said. She shifted her lover's weight slightly to ease the strain on her arm. "We're almost there, Gabrielle," she said, kissing the blond head.

The wounded woman responded with some mumbled words which Xena couldn't make out.

"Be strong, Sweetheart. Stay with me," the warrior said for maybe the fiftieth time since they had begun their little trek. "I love you and I'm not going to lose you," she added. Then, looking up, she saw Herbert come out the door of Nicholas' office and hurry toward them.

"Nick isn't here," he said as he took hold of Argo's bridle and led her to the hitching post. "There's a note saying he's at the boarding house," he went on, "so I'll just take Gabrielle inside and then I'll run down there and get him."

Xena nodded mutely as she fought down a wave of panic. It had never occurred to her that the doctor might not be in his office. What else could go wrong on this wretched day?

As soon as Herbert lifted Gabrielle down, Xena jumped off Argo's back. "I can carry her in," she said, taking the wounded woman out of the sheriff's arms. "You go get Nicholas. And hurry!"

"I will," he said, then set off at a run for the boarding house.

Xena laid Gabrielle faceup on the examining table. The younger woman looked at her, but with a gaze that seemed vague and unfocused. "How's the pain?" Xena asked.

Gabrielle looked away, and for a long moment, she gave no sign of having heard or understood the question. Then she said, "The rocks were so slippery."

"The rocks?"

"In the river. I fell down and got my dress all wet and now I'm cold."

"You're cold?" Xena said, taking one of the bard's hands. "Yes, you are, aren't you? Let me see if I can find a blanket." She went to the cupboard and got one, then spread it over Gabrielle, keeping one of her lover's hands out so she could hold it. "There. That should help warm you up," she said.

"Xena?"

"What, Love?"

"We have to find a place to put my scrolls."

"What do you mean?"

"A place where people will find them and read them. I want everybody to know about you."

"Sure. We'll find a place," Xena said. She brought her lover's hand to her mouth and gently kissed it. "How's the pain, Gabrielle?" she asked again. "Are you still feeling a lot of pain?"

The younger woman turned her eyes toward Xena, but she seemed to be looking at something much farther away. "I don't feel afraid anymore," she said in a voice so faint that Xena had to lean close to catch the words. "I just . . . feel . . ." She didn'tfinish. Instead, her eyes went slowly blank and then her eyelids closed.

"Gabrielle?" Xena said, but the only response was the shallow rasp of the bard's breath. "Don't leave me," the warrior whispered as she gently brushed back the hair from Gabrielle's face. "Please don't leave me." Then she bent and kissed the pale cheek.

She straightened up when she heard the heavy pounding of footsteps on the boardwalk. A moment later, Nicholas burst in through the door, followed by Herbert. The doctor started toward her, but stopped short when he saw her face.

"Xena, is she--" he began.

"She's unconscious."

"Okay," he said, with a measure of relief in his voice. "Let me just wash my hands." He crossed quickly to the wash basin and poured some water into it. "So tell me again what happened," he said, turning to Herbert. "You got ambushed in the canyon?"

"Right, although we weren't caught totally by surprise," Herbert said. "Xena somehow guessed what was going to happen. I think she has some kind of sixth sense or something," he added. "But it was just so strange that those three would have been there at all, lying in wait for us at that hour of the morning. They should have just taken their loot and headed for Mexico."

"It doesn't make much sense, does it?" Nicholas said as he dried his hands. "It's almost as if they had a personal vendetta against you. And why would they shoot Gabrielle, of all people?"

"They were probably aiming for me," Xena said, "but Argo was pretty skittish about the gunfire and was moving around a lot, so--"

"You and Gabrielle were on the same horse?" Nicholas asked in surprise as he picked up his stethoscope and walked over to the table.

"Yes," said Xena. She was still holding Gabrielle's hand, but now she laid it down and pulled back the blanket.

"That's the amazing thing," Herbert said. "If the bullet had gone on through Gabrielle, Xena would have been hit, too."

"Hmm, you're right. There's no exit wound," Nicholas said. "The bullet must have struck a bone." He leaned over to listen to Gabrielle's heart and then checked her pulse. "All right," he said, straightening up. "Now I need to--" He stopped speaking as he stared at the warrior's clothes. "Were you wounded, too?" he asked.

"No," she said, puzzled. Then, glancing down, she saw that her shirt was covered with dried blood and vomit. "No, I'm fine," she repeated.

Nicholas nodded and turned back to the younger woman. "Help me turn her over," he said to Xena, and between them, they rolled the bard carefully onto her stomach. Then Nicholas picked up a pair of scissors, sliced through the bandages, and pulled them off. After that, he started cutting off the dress and chemise.

Herbert had moved closer to watch, but now he apparently realized that the doctor's intention was to remove all of Gabrielle's clothing. "Uh, Nick," he said, "if you don't need my help, maybe I'll take the horses on back to the stable."

Nicholas glanced up at him. "That's probably a good idea," he said. "Lizzie should be here in a few minutes, so I'll have plenty of help."

"All right, then," the sheriff said, backing toward the door. "I'll check back later to see how she's doing."

"Thanks, Herbert," said Xena.

He nodded and then ducked out.

"The bullet went through her right kidney," Nicholas said, examining the wound.

"How can you tell that?" Xena asked.

"Well, by the location of the wound, for one thing. And also by the fact that there's blood in her urine," Nicholas said, pointing to some stains on Gabrielle's petticoat.

Xena nodded as she tried to remember her anatomy lesson from the two days before.

"Did you see who shot her?" Nicholas asked then.

"Yes. It was Bill Garrison."

"I might have known. Where was he when he fired?"

"He was behind some bushes, down on the canyon floor."

"So he was below you."

"Yes."

"That means the bullet entered on an upward trajectory," Nicholas said, more to himself than to Xena. "Let's see," he went on as he rolled Gabrielle onto her side. "If it entered here, then it must have hit one of the lower ribs." He ran his fingers carefully over Gabrielle's rib cage, stopping when he found what he was looking for. "Right here," he said. "This rib is broken."

Xena felt the spot, too. "So this is where the bullet stopped?" she said.

"Maybe. But more likely it bounced back through the liver." He pulled the rest of Gabrielle's clothes away from her body and dropped them on the floor. Then he positioned her again on her stomach and spread the blanket over her.

Xena watched in silence, her eyes searching his face for the answer to the question she was afraid to ask.

He looked up and seemed about to speak when the door opened. "Ah. Here's Lizzie," he said.

The older woman hurried across the room and put an arm around Xena's shoulders. "How bad is it?" she asked, staring down at the figure on the examining table.

"Well, it looks like there's damage to one kidney and to her liver, but I'll know more once I open her up," Nicholas said. "Can you stay and help me?"

"Yes, I'd be glad to."

"I can help, too," Xena said.

He looked at her. "You're welcome to, of course," he said," but it can be very difficult seeing someone you love under the knife. I'll understand if you don't want to be involved in this."

Xena shook her head. "No," she said. "I want to be here. I promised Gabrielle that I would stay with her and I intend to keep that promise."

"Xena," Lizzie said quietly, "Gabrielle will be asleep during the surgery. She won't know whether you're here or not. You can be here for her when she wakes up."

"I want to be here during the surgery," Xena insisted.

"All right," Nicholas said. "Go wash your hands -- both of you -- and let's get started."

* * *

"Xena, I want you to do the chloroform," the doctor said when the two women got back. "Just pour some on the cloth, like this, and hold it over her nose and mouth."

"Why use chloroform when she's already unconscious?" Xena asked.

"Just as a precaution," Nicholas said. "It could be very unpleasant for her if she woke up in the middle of the surgery." He smiled a little and then went on. "I also need you to watch her breathing, and for any vomiting."

Xena nodded.

"Now, Lizzie," he said, "if you'll stand here by me, you can hand me instruments as I need them."

Xena would have found the surgery fascinating if it had involved anyone else but Gabrielle. Nicholas worked slowly and carefully, explaining what he was doing as he went along. He pointed out the damage to the kidney and liver, then spent what seemed like an eternity poking and probing, looking for the bullet.

"Well, I can't find it," he said finally, "and I'm afraid I'll do more harm than good if I keep looking for it."

"You can't just leave it in there, can you?" Xena asked in surprise.

"Yes, I'll have to," Nicholas said. "But I don't think it will cause her any problems," he added.

"There are plenty of old soldiers and gun fighters walking around with bullets inside them," Lizzie said with a grin. "This will just be a special little Colorado souvenir that Gabrielle can take home with her."

Xena tried to grin back, but she wasn't sure if she succeeded or not.

Nicholas set to work stitching what he could of the internal injuries while his two assistants watched in silence. When it came time to close the original incision, he said, "Lizzie, I think I can finish this up without your help. Why don't you go get Xena some clean clothes to wear?"

"All right. That's a good idea," she said. "Is there anything else you want me to bring?"

"Gabrielle's nightshift," Xena said promptly. "She usually leaves it on the floor someplace, but if you can't figure out which one is hers, just bring one of them -- it doesn't matter which one." Then she turned to Nicholas. "Can we take Gabrielle back to the boarding house?" she asked. "I think she'd be more comfortable there."

"Yes, I guess it would be all right to move her, if we're careful," the doctor said. "I've got a litter we can use."

"Okay. Clothes for Xena, nightshift for Gabrielle," Lizzie said. "Anything else?""No, I think that's it," Nicholas said. "Thanks for your help, Lizzie," h e added, giving her a quick smile before she went out the door. Then he bent over the incision and began stitching it.

Xena studied his face, noting the same grim lines she had seen it wear when Mrs. Brown died, and again when he spoke of losing his wives and son. She became aware once more of the cold fear that gripped her heart, and the question she had been wanting to ask finally burst out: "She's going to die, isn't she?"

Nicholas glanced up at her, compassion in his eyes. "I don't know, Xena," he said quietly. "And that's the truth. I'm not just trying to be kind." He looked down again, carefully pushed the needle through Gabrielle's flesh, then drew the thread up and tied it.

The warrior watched in silence while despair and hope battled within her.

"I won't deny that Gabrielle's injuries are serious," Nicholas continued, "and she's lost quite a bit of blood from internal bleeding. I think I got most of that stopped, but I don't know if I got it all." He paused long enough to tie off another stitch and then went on. "The fact is, right now Gabrielle's chances for survival don't look that great, but Xena, I've seen people pull through before after I thought for sure they were goners. And the lesson I've learned is that you can never give up hope. Gabrielle is young and strong, and she has a lot of reasons to want to go on living. She may very well surprise us all before this is over."

Xena swallowed hard and nodded. She was quiet for a few moments and then said, "I had a dream about Gabrielle last night. I saw her getting into Charon's boat."

"Charon? Isn't he the one who takes souls across the River Styx to the underworld?"

"Yes."

"Well, dreams are strange things -- hard to understand. I don't usually put much trust in them."

"You dreamed about setting my broken legs," Xena said.

"Yes, but that was more of a past-life memory. When it comes to dreams that purport to tell the future, I'm pretty much a skeptic."

She smiled. "Thanks, Nicholas," she said.

"For what? For not believing in your dream?"

"Yes, and for everything you've done for Gabrielle."

"Well, I've pretty much done everything I know to do, so it's up to her now."

With a small shock, Xena remembered once saying much the same words about Gabrielle when the bard lay, gravely wounded, in a Thessalian temple. That story had had a happy ending. Maybe this one would, too.

CHAPTER 17

Through all the long hours of that day, Xena stayed with Gabrielle, sometimes sitting by the bed, and at other times pacing the room or staring out the window. The wounded woman had not regained consciousness after the surgery, but Xena hoped that somehow she could hear her as she sat holding her hand, speaking to her in Greek about how much she loved and needed her.

Lizzie, too, spent several hours in the room, keeping the warrior company. She arrived carrying a large cloth bag, seated herself in one of the two straight-backed chairs, opened the bag, and took out two sticks and a ball of yarn. Then, to Xena's surprise, she began to weave the yarn between the sticks, creating a sort of fabric. She called the process knitting. There was something about the repetitive movements which the warrior found comforting, but when the older woman offered to teach her, she shook her head. "I just don't think I could concentrate on anything like that right now," she said.

Herbert stuck his head in a couple of times to ask how Gabrielle was doing, and Ellis dropped by to sit and talk for half an hour or so. Nicholas, of course, came as often as he could between seeing patients in his office and calling on a few outside of town. But each time he came, he only confirmed what Xena already knew. There was no change in Gabrielle's condition.

"I think it's a good sign that she's held on this long," the doctor said when he checked his patient again after supper. "She's tough, and as I said earlier, she may well surprise us all."

"Yes, I suppose so," Xena said dully. "It's just so hard not knowing how this is going to turn out."

"You're right. The waiting is hard," he said, "but Gabrielle is fighting for her life, and she has to do that in her own way and in her own time." He paused and then went on. "I will say this, though. I can't imagine that there won't be some change by morning -- one way or the other."

"By morning," Xena repeated in a bleak tone of voice. She turned and walked over to the table, where she stood looking at the plate of food Mary had brought up for her earlier.

Nicholas followed her. "Xena, you need to eat something," he said. "If Gabrielle gets through this, she will need you to be strong for her. And if she doesn't-- Well, you'll still need to be strong."

"I know," Xena said. She sank down in the chair and picked up her fork. A slice of ham stared up at her, along with some carrots and a roll. It all looked distinctly unappetizing.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me," Nicholas said, laying a hand on Xena's shoulder. "Call me if there's any change. And eat your supper," he added.

Left alone, Xena forced herself to eat a few bites of the food. Then she gave up and went to stand beside the bed. Was Gabrielle waiting for her to release her so that she could cross over? Maybe it was her own selfish need that was keeping the bard from the Elysian Fields. But how could she let her go? How could she not hang on fiercely as long as there was even a shred of hope that Gabrielle would recover?

Turning away, Xena moved to the window and stared out without seeing anything. Behind her, she heard the door open.

"It's just me," said Lizzie. "I thought I'd come sit with you again for a little while."

Xena turned to face the older woman. "Lizzie," she said abruptly, "do you think Gabrielle is waiting for me to let her go so that she can die?"

"Well, I don't know," the other woman said, apparently surprised by the question. "I've heard of people who claimed they got all the way to heaven and then came back because someone here needed them. So I guess if Gabrielle thinks you need her--"

"Shh!" Xena said suddenly. She thought she had heard a sound from Gabrielle. Moving quickly to the bed, she sat down in the chair and leaned close to her lover. The sound came again -- kind of a whimpering sigh. "Gabrielle," she said, taking the younger woman's hand, and then touching her face.

"What is it?" asked Lizzie anxiously, as she crossed the room to stand beside the warrior.

The hand Xena was holding twitched slightly, and she saw the bard's eyelids flutter. "She's waking up!" she exclaimed.

"I'll call Nicholas!" the older woman said and hurried out into the hallway.

"Gabrielle," Xena said again.

The green eyes opened, and as they turned to focus on her, Xena could see a clarity in them which had not been there before. The young woman gave a weak smile and said in Greek, "I'm not going to make it."

"Sure you are," Xena responded. "You're strong, Gabrielle. You just have to keep fighting."

"Don't, Xena. Don't argue with me. I haven't got the strength . . . or the time."

Xena stared at her, feeling all at once as if a heavy pall had dropped over her, blocking out the light and making it almost impossible to breathe.

"The Cronus Stone," Gabrielle said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

Xena leaned closer so that she could hear, aware now that Nicholas and Lizzie had come into the room and were standing behind her.

"Get the Cronus Stone," Gabrielle went on. "If we can go back, before all this happened, we can be together again."

"Yes," Xena said, caressing her lover's cheek. "I'll get it. I promise you that we'll be together . . . one way or another."

Gabrielle nodded and tried again to smile. "I love you, Xena," she murmured.

"I love you, too," the warrior responded. "With all my heart." Then she brought Gabrielle's hand up and pressed it against her mouth.

The younger woman continued to look at her, but now the clarity began to fade from her eyes. "I have to . . . rest now . . ." she whispered, and then her eyelids closed.

Xena sat frozen, still clutching Gabrielle's hand, still staring at the pale face. All the fear and despair she'd felt before were suddenly gone, replaced by a strange numbness.

Nicholas moved forward, stethoscope in hand, and bent over the bed.

Lizzie put her hands on Xena's shoulders. "What did she say?" she asked.

"She said she wasn't going to make it," Xena said in an expressionless voice. "She said I need to get the Cronus Stone, so we can go back home and be together again."

Nicholas straightened up and pulled the stethoscope from his ears. "And she said she loves you," he said softly. "I understood that part."

Xena nodded, but said nothing.

"Her heartbeat is getting weaker," Nicholas said. "I don't think she'll wake up again."

"How much longer does she have?" Xena asked in a low voice, never taking her eyes off Gabrielle.

"A few hours, at the most," the doctor said. "Sometimes the body has a hard time giving up, even when the spirit is ready to move on."

"Xena," Lizzie said, brushing the warrior's hair back gently and bending forward to look at her face, "We'll be glad to sit here with you, if you want us to. Or would you rather be alone with Gabrielle?"

Xena considered for a few moments, and then looked up at her. "I'd rather be alone," she said quietly.

"All right," Lizzie said. "But we'll be close by, if you need us."

"Just call if you need anything at all," Nicholas said. "Will you do that?"

"Yes," said Xena. "Thank you." Then she turned her gaze back to Gabrielle.

Lizzie and Nicholas left the room, and Xena sat for several minutes without moving. Finally, getting up, she returned the chair to its place by the table. She sat down, unlaced her boots, and took them off. Then she removed her belt and her vest. Going back to the bed, she lifted the covers and slipped in under them, pressing her body close to Gabrielle's. "I'm right here, Sweetheart," she said, softly kissing the bard's cheek. "I'll be here as long as you need me." And laying her head on her lover's breast, she wrapped her arms around her.

Then, through the dark hours of the night, she lay listening to the faint heartbeat and the shallow, rattling breath until, sometime after the clock downstairs struck three, Gabrielle let out one last, slow breath, and then was still.

And in that moment, it seemed as if the whole world had fallen silent.

Raising up on her elbows, Xena tried to see her lover's face in the darkness. Failing in that, she ran her fingers gently over each part of it and then leaned down to kiss the soft lips. "I won't say goodbye, Gabrielle," she whispered, "because we'll be together soon."

She got out of bed and crossed the room to the table, where she lit the lamp. Carrying it to the nightstand, she set it down and brought over a basin of water and a washcloth. Then, working quietly and with great tenderness, she removed Gabrielle's nightshift and stripped off all the bandages. She washed the body, dressed the bard in her Greek clothes, and then combed the golden hair.

When she had finished, she stood beside the bed, looking down, wondering at the numbness which had stolen away all her sorrow and pain. The only thing left for her to feel now was resolve. She would get the Cronus Stone back or else she would die trying. Either way, she would be with Gabrielle again.

Turning, she crossed the room and put on her boots and vest. She reloaded her gun, buckled the gun belt around her waist, and hooked her chakram to her belt. Then she went back to the nightstand to turn out the lamp, and stopped to gaze again at Gabrielle's body. An image from the previous night's dream came suddenly into her mind, causing her to realize that she had overlooked an important custom. Pulling out her coin purse, she opened it and took out a dinar. Then, sitting on the edge of the bed, she slipped the coin into her lover's mouth.

"That's for Charon," she said softly. "Make sure he takes you to the Other Side. But don't get too comfortable there," she added with a slight smile. "I'm going to get the Cronus Stone, and when I get back, we're going home -- together -- back to where we belong." She touched the still, pale cheek with gentle fingers. "Wait for me, my darling. I won't be gone long."

The clock downstairs chimed four times as Xena slipped silently out of the room. Easing the door shut behind her, she moved toward the stairs, but stopped when a board creaked under her foot.

"Xena? Is that you?" came Lizzie's low voice.

The warrior turned, but it took her a moment to spot the other woman, curled up on the short sofa in the dark hallway. With a sigh, the warrior walked back to her. "What are you doing out here?" Xena whispered.

"I wanted to be close, in case you needed me," Lizzie said, sitting up and pulling a blanket around her. "Is Gabrielle . . . gone?"

"Yes."

"She didn't wake up again?"

"No."

"I'm so sorry, Xena," she said.

"Thanks," the warrior mumbled.

"You've got your gun on, haven't you? Just where are you sneaking off to?"

"I'm going to get the Cronus Stone."

"At this hour?" Lizzie said in surprise. "It isn't even light yet."

"It will be by the time I get there."

"Well, you shouldn't go alone. Take Herbert with you. Or Ellis. He's pretty well healed up now."

"No," said Xena, shaking her head. "This is something I have to do by myself."

"You can't take on three outlaws alone. That's crazy!"

"Lizzie, I'm a warrior. Fighting is what I do. I've faced greater odds many times before, and won. Besides, I shot one of the bastards yesterday, so there are only two now."

"Still, I don't see why you're so bound and determined to do this."

"Because I have to get that stone," Xena said in an urgent tone. "It's the only way I can get Gabrielle back."

"Xena," Lizzie said, patting the sofa beside her, "sit down here for a minute."

The warrior hesitated and then reluctantly perched on the edge of the seat.

"When people die, you can't just 'get them back,'" Lizzie said gently. "Surely you know that."

"Yes, of course I know that," Xena said impatiently. "But these are unusual circumstances. Gabrielle and I are in a different timeline. We're in the future now, but if we return to the past, Gabrielle won't have died, and we'll be able to go on with our life together."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Well, Gabrielle said on her deathbed that it would work, and I believe she knew what she was talking about."

Lizzie sighed and studied Xena for a few moments in silence. "You know, those outlaws may be long gone by now," she said.

"If they are, I'll come back here for some supplies, and then I'll go after them. I won't quit until I find them. I'm going to get that stone back, Lizzie. I have to."

"I still wish you wouldn't go alone. I'm afraid you'll get hurt."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," Xena said, but suddenly she remembered having a similar conversation with Lydia right before that fight where she got hit in the head with a mace. Well, she had been tired and distracted then. Now she was focused and ready. She stood up and laid a hand on Lizzie's shoulder. "Don't worry," she repeated. "I'll be back soon." Then she turned and headed for the stairs.

* * *

The sun was just peeking through the trees along the eastern horizon when Xena entered the canyon. She rode at a slow, almost leisurely pace, letting Argo pick her way through the land of shadows. She passed the spot where she and Herbert had tended Gabrielle's wound the day before, and was thankful that the dim light kept her from seeing the blood stains and discarded compresses she knew were there. At this time yesterday, Gabrielle had still been sleeping, safe and alive, in the boarding house. It was strange to think of that. Well, maybe by this time tomorrow the two of them would be back home in Greece, camping by the lake. Xena smiled a little at the thought.

There was no prickly feeling on the back of her neck today -- no sense at all that anyone was around. When she reached the site of the ambush, Xena crossed the stream and dismounted. Leading Argo in among the short willows, she secured the reins to a tree trunk. Then, taking a small coil of rope off the saddle and hanging it over her shoulder, she proceeded on foot.

At the end of the canyon, she pushed through the shrubs hiding the narrow opening and entered the canyon beyond. She had not gone very far before she began to hear sounds -- sort of a rhythmical hacking, followed by scraping noises. Taking cover behind a boulder, she listened for a few moments and then cautiously continued her journey, moving soundlessly from boulder to shrub to tree.

Before long, the cabin came into view, a dark shape huddled against the sloping canyon wall. A pale light glimmered in its half-open doorway, and a thin trail of white smoke rose from its chimney into the ever-brightening sky. The source of the scraping sounds now became apparent. On the near side of the cabin, a man was digging, alternately using a pick and a shovel. Xena crept closer to watch, taking shelter behind a shrub some twenty paces away. After a few minutes of work, he straightened up to wipe his brow, and she recognized him as the outlaw called George.

The shadows were dissipating rapidly now, and Xena studied the cabin and its surroundings carefully. She noted the locations of trees and boulders, the crude corral with its three horses already saddled, and the long trench of sorts that George was digging.

She was just considering what her strategy should be when the cabin door swung all the way open and Bill Garrison came out. He carried two bedrolls to the corral and tied them to the saddles of the bay and chestnut horses. Then he walked over to inspect the digging project.

"Jesus Christ, George! Is that all you've got done?" he exclaimed.

"Well, yes, considering this stinking ground is mostly rocks!" George shot back.

"We haven't got all day, you know. We need to get that bastard buried and get out of here before the sheriff and his deputy bitch come back looking for us."

"If you're in such an all-fired hurry, then let's not bury him. Just leave him right there on his bed and let him rot."

Garrison sighed and shook his head. "Nah, we can't do that," he said. "It'd stink up the cabin something awful, not to mention attracting every varmint in the state. We might want to use that cabin again sometime. Besides," he went on in a softer tone, "I reckon we owe him a proper burial. He was a good buddy, and loyal, even if he was a bit slow."

"He was sure as hell slow enough about dying," muttered George, as he scooped up another shovelful of dirt and flung it aside. "If we had just put him out of his misery first thing after he got shot, we could be practically to the border by now."

"I know, but it didn't seem like a mortal wound at first. How were we to know his lungs would fill up with blood and choke him like that?"

George shrugged and stabbed his shovel back into the rocky ground. "You know, this grave would get dug a hell of a lot faster if you was to pitch in and help out," he said.

"We've only got one shovel," Bill pointed out.

"Sure, but while one of us is using it, the other one could be using the pick."

"I got to get our gear packed. And I thought maybe I'd try to clean old Isaiah up a little before we plant him."

"Right. Clean him up before you stick him in the dirt. That makes sense," George said sarcastically.

But Bill ignored this remark while he cast his gaze around at their surroundings. "Keep your eyes open while you're out here. I don't want any surprises," he said, then glanced down at the hole. "You don't have to dig that very deep," he added. "Just enough so's we can cover him, and then we'll pile rocks on top to keep the coyotes from digging him up."

George nodded, but said nothing. Tossing the shovel aside, he reached down for the pickax and began hacking again at the stony soil. Bill Garrison turned and walked back to the cabin. As soon as he was inside, Xena heard George start throwing muttered curses in the leader's direction.

She smiled as she loosened her chakram from her belt. The gods had been kind. One outlaw wasdead, and the other two were still here, practically within her grasp. But maybe the gods had nothing to do with it. It was her own shot which had felled Isaiah. And when she thought about how he had put his hands on Gabrielle, it made her glad to think he had died a slow, painful death.

Reaching down, she picked up a small stone and fingered it while she kept a close eye on George. As soon as he paused again in his work, she threw the stone into a bush behind him. Startled, he turned toward the sound and drew his gun. In one quick movement, Xena stepped out into the open and loosed her chakram in his direction. It struck the revolver and sent it spinning out of the outlaw's hand. She sprinted toward him, catching the returning chakram as she ran.

George turned and swung the pick at her, but she grabbed it and yanked hard, pulling him off balance. In the same moment, she kicked his feet out from under him, and he sprawled facedown in the dust. Pouncing, she quickly straddled him, pulled his other gun out of the holster and tossed it out of reach. Then she pinned his arms behind his back, pulled a length of rope from the coil she carried, and began tying his wrists.

"What do you think you're doing?" he sputtered, kicking and struggling beneath her.

"I'm taking you into custody," she returned.

"You can't do that!"

"Of course I can. I'm a deputy sheriff."

"No, I meant--"

"You meant that you didn't think I'd be capable of disarming and overpowering you, is that it?" she asked.

"You goddamned bitch!" he muttered. Then he raised his head and looked toward the cabin.

She slammed his head back down into the dirt with the heel of her hand. "Don't be thinking about calling for help," she growled. She finished tying his hands, drew and cocked her revolver, and stuck the barrel against his ear. "All right," she said. "Get up. We're going in the cabin."

He stumbled to his feet while she kept his arm in a firm grip and the gun pointed at his head. When they reached the log structure, she shoved him through the doorway ahead of her. The room was dimly lit and smelled of grease, vomit, and death. Bill Garrison was bending over the body which lay stretched out on a bed against the back wall. He turned as they entered, his hand going to his pistol when he saw Xena.

"That's right," said Xena calmly. "Just lay your guns down nice and easy on the bed there and then step away. Otherwise, I'll have to shoot your buddy's head off."

The outlaw leader glared at Xena, his face darkening with fury. Then he slowly drew his guns and dropped them on the bed behind him. As he took a couple of steps away from the bed, he turned his scowl on his partner. "You idiot!" he snarled. "How in hell could you let that slut get a gun on you like that?"

"Well, I, uh-- I didn't know she--" George stammered.

But Bill cut him off. "Is your sheriff friend here, too?" he asked Xena.

"No, it's just me," she said cheerfully. "I thought it was time the three of us had some of that fun you boys have been talking about." She grinned and then looked over at the stacked-up beds to her right, noting that they were nailed solidly to the log wall. "Sit down there on the floor," she ordered, shoving George toward the end of the beds nearest the door.

He obeyed reluctantly, while she held her pistol aimed at him. Then, taking the rope coil off her shoulder, Xena tossed it to Bill Garrison. "Tie him up," she said.

"What?" asked Garrison in surprise.

"Tie him up," Xena repeated, "the way you did Gabrielle. Tie his feet and then tie him to the bed. And do a good job of it. I'll be watching."

The outlaw leader moved slowly toward his companion, rope in hand, then suddenly lunged at Xena. She squeezed the trigger and at the same time threw a high kick in Garrison's direction, catching him in the jaw and sending him sprawling onto his back. The bullet from her gun splintered the bedpost a finger's width above George's head.

He gave a startled cry and ducked. "Dammit, Bill," he gasped, "you're gonna get me killed!"

"That's right," Xena said, "because next time I won't miss." She kept the gun aimed at him as she re-cocked it. Then she looked at Bill and said, "Now get over there and tie him up, like I told you to."

Rubbing his jaw and staring at her in amazement, Bill went over and knelt beside George, then began wrapping the rope around his ankles. "I thought you said we were going to have fun," he grumbled.

"Oh, we will," she said in a sultry tone, "just as soon as you two are all tied up."

He looked up at her and then a wary grin spread across his face. "Hey, are you one of them gals who like their men all tied up and helpless?"

"You might say that," she answered.

He turned back to his task. "How's your little blonde friend?" he asked.

"She's dead," Xena said casually as she moved closer to observe the tying-up process.

"Well, ain't that a shame," Garrison said with a sardonic grin. "I surely did look forward to getting some pleasure out of that little gal. Too bad our dear, departed Isaiah so stupidly let her escape."

"You're breaking my heart," Xena said. She kept her voice cool, even as a sudden flash of hot anger ran through her. It was the first emotion she had felt since realizing that Gabrielle was dying, but it was gone again as quickly as it had come. "Hurry it up," she said to Bill.

"All done," he returned as he tied off the last knot.

"Good. Now go sit up there at the other end of the bed," she said, gesturing with her revolver.

"Here?"

"Yes. Now tie your feet."

"What are you going to do with us?" asked George.

"Well, now, that's a good question," Xena said. "I suppose I ought to turn you over to Sheriff Lees and let him put you in jail."

"Ain't no jail made that can hold us for long," George said.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Xena said. "So I guess it would be better if they just hung you and were done with it."

"Sure, if they can keep us locked up long enough to sentence us," Bill said as he looped the rope somewhat loosely around his ankles and tied a clumsy knot. "But nobody's done that yet." He looked up at her. "You want me to tie my hands, too?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, I'll do that part," Xena said.

"You'll have to put your gun down," he said. "Unless you can tie knots with one hand."

"Yes, and you're thinking this will be your big chance, aren't you?" she said with a grin. Then, without taking her eyes off of him, she slowly lowered her pistol, uncocked it, and slid it into the holster. Crouching down beside him, she reached for the remaining piece of rope.

He sat perfectly still until she got quite close, then suddenly swung a fist at her. She ducked the blow and, in one swift movement, hit the pressure points on either side of his neck. He gasped and then stared at her, his eyes bugging out in pain and disbelief. "What did you do?" he managed to choke out.

"I've cut off the flow of blood to your brain," Xena said calmly as she pulled his arms behind his back and began tying his wrists. "You'll be dead in less than a minute unless I release you, but I think that will give me just enough time to get you all tied up."

"You can't . . . do this . . . you bitch!" he sputtered, as Xena shoved his back against the bed frame and quickly used the rope to bind his torso to it.

"You'd be surprised what I can do," she said as she tied the knot. "I'm a woman with many skills." Then she hit the pressure points again to release them.

Garrison slumped forward, sucking in big raspy breaths. Xena moved to his ankles, untied the rope and tied it again tighter.

"Who are you anyway?" asked George in amazement. "And where did you learn a trick like that?"

"My name is Xena. Some people call me the Warrior Princess."

"Warrior Princess?" scoffed Bill in a slightly hoarse voice. "What are you -- some kind of Injun?"

"No, I'm Greek," Xena said as she checked and then tightened the rope that bound George.

"Greek?" George said. "Do you mean like from Greece?"

She nodded.

"Well then, what the hell are you doing here?"

"It's a long story," she answered with a dismissive wave, "and you wouldn't believe it if I told you." Then, standing up, she took her first good look around the cabin. She needed to find the Cronus Stone. That was why she had come. Once she had found it, she could figure out what to do with the outlaws.

At the other end of the room was a fireplace, with a smoky fire smoldering inside it. Against the front wall sat a small table and three crudely-made chairs. Xena walked over to the table and saw that there wasn't much on it -- a couple of dirty metal plates and mugs, a battered lantern, a box of matches, and four bullets. A can marked "Kerosene" sat on the floor close by.

Turning, the warrior scanned the rest of the room. In a corner near the back door, she saw two wooden kegs. Assuming that they held flour or meal, or possibly some liquid such as water or wine, she ignored them. Crossing to Isaiah's bed, she stood looking down at the body sprawled in a strangely awkward position. The dead man's mouth hung open, his features fixed in what seemed to be a grimace. Bloody rags and bandages littered the bed and floor.

"Did he suffer much?' Xena asked without taking her eyes off the corpse.

"He most surely did," answered George in a solemn voice. "He was groaning and coughing up blood all night."

Xena nodded, pleased once more to think that one of Gabrielle's would-be attackers had died such a death.

"What about your little friend?" asked Bill. "Did she suffer?"

The warrior turned to stare at him, wondering if he, too, wanted the satisfaction of knowing that he had caused an enemy pain. Well, she would not let him have it. "No," she said. "Gabrielle was unconscious most of the time. She died a peaceful death."

The image of her lover's face, so still and pale in death, appeared unbidden in her mind, and she began to feel a slow rekindling of the anger which had come and gone so quickly before. Thrusting the image aside, she focused again on the task at hand -- finding the Cronus Stone. Her eyes lit on some saddlebags lying on the floor near Isaiah's bed. Picking them up, she dumped out the contents of each one in turn, and then tossed it aside.

"Okay, Boys," she said at last, as she walked over to the outlaws. "What have you done with that big ruby you stole from us a few days ago?"

"Oh, that pretty little thing?" said Bill. "We sold it."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, we did," chimed in George. "We sold it first thing. Got a good price for it, too."

"Did you now?" asked Xena, folding her arms across her chest. "How much did you get, if you don't mind my asking."

"Oh, well, I think it was about a thousand dollars, wasn't it, Bill?"

"A thousand even," Garrison said, nodding. "That was quite a valuable little gemstone."

Xena crouched down beside him and clamped a hand around his throat. "No, it wasn't," she said. "It was just a piece of colored glass, and I don't believe you sold it. Now, where is it?"

"Just a piece of glass?" Bill choked out. "Well, if that's all it was, why are you so eager to get it back?"

"Let's just say it has . . . sentimental value," Xena answered. She removed her hand from the outlaw leader's throat and poised her fingers over the pressure points on his neck. "Start talking," she said, "or I'll start pinching."

"It's--" he began, then stopped and glanced over at George.

"It's where?" Xena prompted, moving her hands closer in a threatening gesture.

"Under the floor, near the fireplace," he said quickly, nodding toward the other end of the room. "The fourth and fifth boards are loose."

She got up and strode to the fireplace, counted the boards, and then knelt down. They came up easily, but she could see very little in the dark space beneath them. Leaning forward, she reached her hand in cautiously and felt around. Her fingers soon brushed against a heavy fabric of some kind, and taking hold of it, she pulled out a bag which she recognized as the one Isaiah had ridden off with during the bank robbery. She loosened the drawstrings and peered inside, noting several bundles of paper money, as well as some loose silver coins.

"It's all there," Garrison said in a flat tone. "We haven't had a chance to spend any of it yet."

"What a shame," said Xena dryly as she tied the bag shut again. Then, thrusting her hand back into the space under the floor, she felt around once more. At first, her fingers encountered only dirt and rocks, but then, just as she was beginning to despair, she came upon the smooth, pointed shape she was looking for. Pulling it out, she held it up and looked at it with a deep sigh of relief. "Soon, Gabrielle," she whispered as she used her sleeve to wipe the dust off the reddish surface.

"Well, now that you've got the bank money back, and that ruby thing, you can just let us go," said George.

"Sure," agreed Bill. "We'll ride on out of here and never come back to bother you. I can give you my promise on that."

Xena set the Cronus Stone down beside the moneybag, then stood up, walked over, and fixed the two men in an imperious gaze. "I don't think you understand the principle involved here," she said. "The fact that I got the money back doesn't mean you didn't rob the bank, because you did. You also took a hostage, and you were planning to rape her."

"Whoa, now!" exclaimed Bill. "We were just going to have a little fun. I wouldn't really use the word 'rape.'"

"I would," Xena said coldly.

"Well, it's not rape if a woman cooperates," said George, "and Isaiah said that little gal got downright friendly with him."

"A lot of people will cooperate if you put a gun to their heads," Xena said. "And Gabrielle was just being 'friendly' because she was trying to get Isaiah to untie her. No, you were planning to rape her all right," she went on. "And failing in that, you shot her in the back and killed her."

"Well, I didn't exactly mean to shoot her," Garrison said with a cool grin. "I was actually aiming for you. But I'm glad I got one of you bitches, at least."

She turned away, disgusted by his nonchalance. Her numbness was quickly fading, and now the anger which had been simmering inside her flared suddenly into white-hot rage. She knew this rage -- knew it well, for it had once forged her into a murderous warlord. After that, it had strengthened and nourished her through all the long years of pillage and slaughter. Its familiarity comforted her, and she welcomed it wholeheartedly.

Turning back to her captives, she was pleased to see the look of fear that came into their eyes when they saw her face. "You two are nothing but scum," she said in a low, rough voice. "You don't deserve to live, and I'm going to see to it that you die screaming in agony."

"What are you talking about?" Bill said in amazement. "You can't just kill us!"

"Sure I can. Killing is what I do best."

"But you're a deputy," George exclaimed. "You have to make sure we get a fair trial!"

Xena glanced down at the star on her vest. Then, pulling it loose, she dropped it casually on the floor. "Well, I guess I'll just have to give up being a deputy, won't I?" she said with a diabolical grin.

Turning on her heel, she went over to Isaiah's bed and picked up Bill Garrison's revolvers, along with a gun belt which had apparently belonged to the dead man. She carried these, plus the Cronus Stone and moneybag, out and laid them beside a boulder some fifty paces from the cabin. Then she retrieved George's pistols from beside the half-dug grave and added them to the pile. The sky had brightened considerably, she noted, although the sun had yet to clear the canyon walls.

Returning to the cabin, the warrior stood leaning against the doorjamb, contemplating the captive outlaws. There were many good ways to torture and kill people. Which one would give her the most satisfaction? Unexpectedly, a picture of Garron's charred body lying in the ashes of the cottage came to mind. She had always regretted the fact that Gabrielle's attacker had remained blissfully unconscious while he burned to death. If it had been up to her-- Well, she couldn't change the past. Or could she? And suddenly she knew what she would do.

She made a quick circuit of the room, checking to make sure she had removed everything of value. Then she picked up the can of kerosene. It was half empty, but there would be enough.

"What are you going to do?" asked George nervously.

"I'm going set fire to this place," she said, "and then I'm going to sit outside and listen to your screams while you burn to a crisp."

"You can't do that!" Bill protested. "That's cruel! It's-- It's barbaric!"

Xena crouched down in front of him. "That's the whole idea," she said with a mocking smile. Then the smile faded and her tone became suddenly harsh. "You killed the person I loved most in the world," she said. "Do you think I'm going to let that go unpunished? You would have been so much better off if you had shot me instead of her. Guess it just wasn't your lucky day, was it, you son of a bitch?"

He stared at her, his eyes full of hatred. "You'll never get away with this," he growled. "Your little sheriff friend will lock you up, and then they'll hang you. You'll have to spend the rest of eternity with us in hell. What do you think about that?"

"I can hardly wait," Xena said, and gave him a wicked grin as she stood up. Moving to the center of the room, she sloshed kerosene on the floor, table, and Isaiah's bed. When the can was empty, she cast it aside, picked up the box of matches, and walked to the door. Taking out one of the small sticks, she rubbed its head against the doorjamb, and as it burst into flame, she held it up, awed once again by the simple miracle. Looking at the outlaws, she smiled to see them struggling frantically against their bonds. "Bye, Boys," she said sweetly, and after a moment added, "Don't forget to scream." Then she tossed the match onto the kerosene-wet floor and gave a joyful whoop as it burst into flames.

Retreating to the place where she had left the Cronus Stone and salvaged gear, she hopped up onto the boulder and settled herself cross-legged to enjoy the show. Through the doorway, she could see the orange dance of the flames, and soon black smoke began rising from the chimney and pushing its way out through the door. With some satisfaction, she heard the outlaws shouting curses which soon turned to cries for help.

Xena smiled, so engrossed in the spectacle that she did not at first hear the approaching clatter of hooves. Then, becoming suddenly aware of the sound, she reached for her gun and turned to see a figure on a white horse galloping toward her. It was Herbert. She relaxed, waving cheerfully as he dismounted and hurried toward her.

"I got the Cronus Stone and the bank money, too," she called to him. Then she patted the space beside her on the boulder. "Have a seat," she added with a happy grin. "You're just in time for the show!"

He stared at the pile of objects on the ground, and then at the burning cabin, the panicky horses in the nearby corral, and finally at Xena. "What's going on?" he demanded. "Where are the outlaws?"

"In the cabin," the warrior said, gesturing casually in that direction. "But don't worry. I tied them up good and tight, so they won't get away. Listen," she instructed as the sound of renewed shouts and screams reached them. "Isn't that a lovely sound?"

Herbert looked at Xena in horror for a moment, then grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "Did you set that fire?" he demanded. "With those men in there? Alive?"

"Well, only two of them," Xena said with a smirk. "One was already dead."

"What are you -- some kind of monster?" he cried, shaking her.

Then, releasing her abruptly, he turned and sprinted toward the cabin.

Xena watched him, stupefied, as he ducked through the thick smoke and disappeared into the burning structure. What had she done, she wondered. And then, like an icy wave, the realization swept over her. Herbert was right. She had indeed become a monster. In spite of all her efforts to redeem herself, and all her promises to Gabrielle, she had become the worst possible kind of monster.

Scrambling down off the boulder, she stood for a moment, trying to think what to do, then started running toward the cabin. About halfway there, she heard coughing, and saw Herbert emerge, dragging a half-conscious George.

"I'll get the other one!" she shouted as she passed them.

"Be careful!" Herbert shouted back. "I think I saw a couple of kegs of gunpowder in there!"

Nodding, she ran on. She was only a few paces from the cabin when, suddenly, the roof seemed to lift off and split apart in a blinding flash. The ground jerked beneath her feet, and a roaring filled her ears as a huge ball of fire rushed toward her. Striking her full force with its searing heat, it flung her violently back until at last she landed with a crash. The acrid scent of scorched flesh filled her nostrils, and then everything faded to nothingness.

CHAPTER 18

When she woke, it was to overwhelming, excruciating pain. She heard herself moaning and felt her body writhing in a feeble attempt to escape, but there seemed to be no relief. Every part of her was consumed by a burning, blistering agony more intense than anything she had ever felt before. A reddish haze surrounded her, and she had no idea where she was or how she had been wounded. She moaned again and then gradually realized that there were two people bending over her. With some effort, she recognized them as Nicholas and Lizzie.

"Xena," the doctor said, laying a gentle hand on her head, "can you hear me . . . and see me?"

She nodded.

"You've been badly burned," he told her. "I know the pain must be terrible." He paused, but when she did not answer, he went on. "Lizzie and I are trying to get your clothes off, but the fabric is stuck to the burned places, so I'm afraid we're just making the pain worse. I'm going to give you a little chloroform and let you sleep while we do this."

Xena looked at him, trying to make sense of his words. An image of the cabin began to form in her mind -- she remembered flames and smoke, and then an explosion. "Burned," she mumbled. "I burned the bastards. Burned the monster, too."

Nicholas leaned closer and then looked at Lizzie. "I can't understand her," he said. "Can you?"

"No," she responded.

"I'll prepare the chloroform," he said, straightening up. "See if you can get her to drink some water."

Lizzie lifted Xena's head and held a glass to her lips. The warrior tried to take in the soothing liquid and swallow it, but her weakness made it difficult to drink without choking. Soon the older woman took the glass away, and Xena lay back, closing her eyes against the pain that pressed down on her so relentlessly.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Nicholas standing there, holding a bottle and a folded cloth. She turned her gaze to Lizzie, then reached out to grasp the older woman's arm. "The Cronus Stone," she said.

"What, Dear?" asked Lizzie, bending down.

"The Cronus Stone," Xena repeated, trying to make her voice louder. "I got it from the outlaws. It's by the boulder. Herbert can bring it. I have to have it to take Gabrielle back home." She stopped, exhausted from the effort of speaking.

Lizzie softly patted the warrior's hand. "Don't you worry about a thing," she said soothingly. "Everything is going to be just fine."

"She's delirious from the pain," Nicholas said quietly. Then he poured some liquid onto the cloth and brought it toward Xena's face.

Suddenly understanding his intent, she pushed his hand away. "No!" she cried. "No sleep! I have to go home! I have to--"

But her words were choked off by the cloth which now descended over her mouth and nose. She squirmed violently, crying out and pushing against Nicholas' arm with what little strength remained in her. But the doctor was too strong for her. She could not escape the horrible fumes which now began to gag and choke her. They rushed into her lungs in spite of her best efforts not to let them in. Struggling against their power, she fought to stay conscious while she tried once more to push Nicholas away. But her arms were growing heavy and they no longer did her bidding. She felt her body sinkingas if into heavy quicksand. Her pain began to slide away as her eyelids closed, and then darkness enveloped her.

"All right, she's out," Xena heard Nicholas say in a quiet voice. "Let's try to get the rest of these clothes off of her."

There was a brief silence and then Lizzie spoke. "Such a beautiful woman," she said, "and now she will be so terribly scarred. I wonder how she will deal with that."

"I'm not sure she'll have to," the doctor replied.

There was another short silence and then, "You mean you don't think she'll survive?"

"Well, let's just say that I've seen people die from lesser burns."

"But she's so strong," Lizzie said. "Surely she can get through this."

"Yes, it's possible that she can -- but only if she really wants to. With Gabrielle gone, I'm just not sure whether Xena has the will to live."

Their voices began to fade away, but it no longer mattered what they had to say. Xena's pain was gone and now she drifted, carefree, into gentle oblivion.

* * *

Continued...Part 6 (Conclusion)

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