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“What do you plan to do now?” Delia asks him as the caravan is about ready to pull out.

“Go back and continue what I was doing,” he explains. “Only be more vigilant this time.”

“Good luck,” she says.

“You too, lady trader,” he replies with a smile.

A flick of the reins and the team begins to pull her wagon back onto the road.

Shorty and Scar have already resumed their place in the caravan while Jorry and Uther have taken their places back with James’ crew.

As the two parties begin to move in opposite directions, there’s a scattering of farewells until they’re too far apart to continue.

Thoughts of Lord Colerain and the Empire haunt him the entire day. Will he ever be rid of people wanting to kill him? That night they find an inn to stay and since the pain from the welts have begun to diminish, he’s able to get a good night’s sleep.

The next morning they set out after a good breakfast of ham steaks and fried eggs. Even after allowing the horses to get a full good night’s rest, they still take it easy the rest of the way back to The Ranch.

When they at last arrive back at The Ranch, they’re surprised to find a teenage boy standing guard out at the end of the lane holding a spear in one hand. When he sees them coming up the lane, he takes a horn that’s slung at his side and blows two quick notes.

From The Ranch, they see four horsemen come riding quickly down the lane toward the sentry. “Wonder what’s going on?” questions Illan.

“I don’t know,” James replies.

When James and the others reach the sentry, he recognizes him as Devin, Corbin’s son. He’s standing there, the spear he gave him in one hand and says, “Welcome home.”

“Thank you,” James tells him. The four horsemen are other lads from the surrounding area. He asks, “What’s all this?”

“Jiron said to tell you, ‘to go up to the house and he’ll explain everything’,” he replies.

“Alright,” he says as he turns onto the lane and heads for the house. Illan and the others follow. The town lads on the horses fall in behind at the rear and ‘escort’ him back to the house.

James notices another lad with a bow and a quiver of arrows slung across his back, walking the edge of the forest on the far side of the house. He glances to Illan who just shrugs, he’s noticed him too.

The front door of the house opens and Jiron, Yern, Tersa and Ezra holding Arkie come out to meet them.

“Glad to see you’re back safe,” Jiron says with relief.

Gesturing around at all the lads, James asks, “What’s all this?”

“Come on inside and I’ll explain,” he says. Coming over, he helps James down from his horse. He then leads him inside, with Illan following closely behind. Ezra and Tersa return within the house as well while the rest tend to the horses and see that they’re settled in.

Jiron sits down in the front room, James and Illan following suit. Tersa and Ezra soon come out of the kitchen with mugs of ale for them.

“Now, just what have you been doing while I have been gone?” he asks.

“After the last attack, I felt we could use some help around here,” he tells him. From the back, Roland comes out and joins them. “Actually, it was Roland’s idea to ask the locals if their sons would care to help out.”

“The harvest around here is about over and I knew these lads would have little to do,” he explains. “Basically what they’re going to do is provide security for us.”

“But they’re not fighters,” protests James. “Against a real adversary, they’d be slaughtered.”

“True,” agrees Roland. “But by them being around, there will be fewer attempts like the one that succeeded in getting to you. Their mere presence will keep most of them from even happening. If something major should happen, then they will be able to give you and us warning to come to their aid.”

“The whole point is not to be caught unawares again,” interjects Jiron.

“Did you tell them of the danger?” James asks.

“Yes, and their families,” Roland replies. “We’re also paying them each two coppers a day for their services. Around here, that’s a lot of money.”

“How are we to pay for all that?” he asks.

“That