“Alvin, they’reclose.We gotta ride. Get clear out of Montana. If we get out of here before that posse arrives, we should be able to get clean away.”
Grant’s brother motioned to her and Father. “But they know our names now.”
God, help us!
Grant grabbed Alvin’s arm. “It doesn’t matter. We can disappear. Plenty of good places to hide, but we don’t have time to argue about it. Look, we’ve got some money and gear. Let’s just ride.”
Alvin’s features darkened. “So who’s the man we took, and who is she?”
Grant waved a hand at them. “He’s nobody! He’s not worth a dime! The only person who would care that we have him isher.She’s his daughter.”
“Where did Hill get off to?” Alvin paced the room. “Maybe we can go there and take him after all.”
“No! Listen to me. Hill left on his private car hours ago. He did exactly as we figured and hired himself a team of guards. We’ll never get close to him again. We need to just give up on this and go. Right now.”
Alvin’s dark gaze came back to Eleanor. “I don’t know.They’rehearing all of this. They’ll tell the marshal what our plan is.”
Grant rubbed a hand through his hair. “We haven’t said anything yet that will give us away.”
“I say we kill them and then go.” Alvin narrowed his eyes as he studied Eleanor’s face.
A shiver jolted up her back. It was as if she were staring into the face of death. Alvin’s cold blue eyes were void of feeling. He seemed completely at ease with the thought of killing. Had he done it before?
“Kill me, but please, spare my Ellie!”
At Father’s pleading words, Grant gritted his teeth.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee....In God I have put my trust; I will not fearwhat flesh can do unto me.
Ellie caught her breath. She’d read those verses from Psalm 56 just a few nights ago. Now they sang through her, calming her racing heart.I will not fear...
“It’s all right, Father.” Was that her voice? That confident tone? “I’m not afraid. God is with us. I trust Him to protect us.”
And she did. With all her heart.
Grant groaned.“Forgetabout them, Alvin. I’m telling you we don’t have time. Come on. At least come outside with me in case the posse shows up. We can figure the details out as we go. We can go find the boys and make another plan. They’re probably already back in town, snug in their beds.”
Alvin hesitated—
I trust You, Lord.
—then nodded and turned to Grant. “Let’s get out of here.”
Thank You, Lord! Thank You!
Alvin grabbed his stuff, and he and Grant hurried out the door.
Ellie looked at her father. “Are you all right?”
He managed a shaky smile. “Scared. I have to admit, I’ve never been more scared.”
If only they’d untied her! She needed to find out how bad his injury was. “Are you hurt badly?”
“I don’t think so.” Father shifted in the chair as if testing his body for pain. “Somebody hit me on the side of the head. I was knocked out, and when I woke up, I was tied to this chair.”
She nodded. “They hit Mr. Hill over the head too. They thought they had him when they took you.”
Father shook his head, then grimaced. “Ouch. Not ready to move my head much yet. I figured out their mistake when that fella kept insisting I was Louis.”
