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Early spring 1870

RunningWolf sunk low to the ground when he heard the train pull in to the station. He watched as many pale faces got off. It was not until he saw the one with flaming red hair that he really paid any attention, however. To him, they all looked much the same, but the hair drew his gaze and he studied the delicate features of her face and the womanly shape of her body.

He was immediately ensnared by her beauty, felt a sense of possessiveness move through him. This one, he thought, would be a prize. The urge to take her, to make coup on the pale faces, occurred to him. But she was not alone. He sized up the woman and man that were with her. They would not cause him much trouble, he decided with a trace of contempt. But this was not the first time he had come to town. He knew there were many men with guns that lived here. If he caused a scene, the others would come running.

He would have to catch her alone, he decided. He would have to take her quickly and quietly before anyone realized she was gone. The gods favored him. As he watched, the opportunity presented itself. The man and woman she was with left her to go into a building. She was completely alone. Looking around, he decided that this was his chance. He crept closer, using the buildings as cover until he could get close enough to grab her. Walking up behind her, he put one hand over her mouth and grabbed her around the waist with his other arm, lifting her completely off the ground and setting off in a run.

Shock completely paralyzed Gabrielle for several moments. Fear very quickly pierced it, however. She tried to scream but discovered her mouth was pressed so tightly shut that she couldn"t manage more than a garbled humming sound. Instinctively, her hands flew to what was covering her mouth and encountered a hand. She tried to scream again when she was lifted up off the ground-instinctively-not because she expected it to be any more effective than her first attempt.

It congealed abruptly in her chaotic mind that she was being kidnapped! Oh my god! She"d been in town barely five minutes and already she was in trouble! She struggled against her captor, worked hard at the arm holding her around her waist, but his arm was like iron, and she could not loosen his hold on her. In fact, his arm seemed to tighten more until she began to feel lightheaded between the tight hand over her mouth, the vice around her waist, and the jarring from his running stride. Darkness threatened. It was only by sheer force of will that she fought it off.

He had not made it far out of town when she managed to wriggled out of his arms.

Gabrielle felt triumphant relief when she managed to win her freedom from whoever was trying to kidnap her. She did not take the time to get a look at whoever it was, though. She was more intent on escape. In dismay she realized the moment she darted away from him that she was too far away from town to hope to get there before she was recaptured since she knew her skirts would definitely hamper her running. The only other means of escape that was available to her was a river right in front of her. She knew because of the time of year that it would be ice cold, but she had no other choice. She could only hope that whoever was following her was unable to swim. She ran straight into the water without stopping to catch her breath. It was so cold it immediately took what little breath she had away, and worse, it was making her skirts heavy, causing them to tangle around her legs.

She heard the distinct sound of a splash behind her. It spurred her forward. If she could just reach the other side, she would be okay, she told herself. But she did not manage to make it. She slipped on a rock and fell, bumping her head, and, suddenly, everything went black.