Joshua awoke to the sound of the women talking, discussing what to do with him. Rachel made the comment of selling him to the circus and splitting the money three ways, Eve laughed at her saying he would definitely be a sight to see. Allison mostly listened to the other two women talk as she slowly slid away and made her way over to him. She began whispering to him telling him she would help him first chance she had and not to worry. Joshua smiled at her and nodded his head.

“I’m going to get something for him to eat” Allison said picking Joshua up and heading for the door. “I imagine he’s starving after that long stage ride and being here all night long.”

Just leave him there and bring him something back to eat” Eve said. “We don’t want anyone else seeing him if we can help it.”

Allison sighed, shrugged her shoulders and put him on the bed. She whispered an “I’m sorry” as she turned and walked out the door.

Joshua saw this was going to be harder then it looked. Eve and Rachel already knew Allison was the weak-link in their trio and they would have to watch her as well when she was around him. He needed a plan and he needed one fast if he was going to get back to the Reservation in time.

White Eagle could see the town from the top of the hill. She figured she would make camp and go into town the next morning and search for the Marshall. She needed to rest and figure out how to save him without him seeing her, it was her only chance for his survival.

Rachel went over to the bed and grabbed up Joshua and walked back to the table with him. Her grip on him was tight as she stared wondering what they would do with him. She roughly dropped him on the table between Eve and herself.

“Careful with him, Rachel, we don’t want him hurt” Eve said.

“He’s a lot tougher then he looks” Rachel shot back defensively.

“So” Rachel said. “What should we do with you?”

Joshua stood up and said: “You could take me back to the crossing and let me go like Eve agreed to do.”

The two women laughed at his answer. Eve picked him up and placing him on the floor, she told him “there is the door, if you can get out of it then you are free.”

Joshua began walking towards the door. He knew he couldn’t reach the knob and the crack at the bottom was too narrow for him to crawl under. Just then he began feeling a slight vibration. It was someone walking outside in the hallway. If it was Allison, he may have a chance. The foot falls got louder and the floor rumbled more and more with each step.

Eve and Rachel couldn’t hear the footsteps over their laughter at him standing at the door trying to figure a way out.

Just then the walking outside stopped. Joshua saw a shadow from under the door and stepped to the side as he waited. He saw the door knob turn and then the door swing open as Allison walked in. Joshua ran as fast as he could between her feet and into the hallway. He looked and saw the stairway to his left and made his way towards it as fast as he could.

Rachel and Eve shouted at Allison to him as they jumped up and began chasing after him, knocking Allison to the floor as they pushed past her.

Joshua heard the commotion behind him and began jumping down the stairs two steps at a time trying to find a hiding place before they got to him. He was in the lobby and spotted a sofa and several chairs and knew that was his only chance until he could make it to the door. He quickly dove under the sofa and turned around just in time to see Eve and Rachel descending the stairs looking down on the floor for him.

The began walking around the small lobby. Eve positioned herself near the doorway as Rachel began walking towards the chairs slowly raising them up off the floor trying to flush the Marshall out of hiding. Finally she got to the sofa and as she pushed it over she spotted him.

He began running back towards the stairs and the turned and ran towards an old chest. Before he could get behind it, Rachel was already on top of him and had him securely in her clutches.

The two women went back to the room, dropped him on the table and Rachel said: “For that, you will be punished.” and she thumped him in the chest sending him to his knees gasping for air. “Next time you try something like that, I’m liable to step on you, got it”

Joshua nodded holding his chest tightly still trying to breath.

Rachel and Eve just stared at him. Allison knew there was nothing she could do to help him so she stayed over in the corner of the room and watched quietly.

Joshua knew he needed a plan right now. Finally, he remembered what Rachel had just said and what she said before. He knew they would go for it and at the same time, he would be saved.

Slowly he got to his feet and motioned for them to come over and sit down. The two women sat down and Joshua began putting his plan into motion. He told them part of the truth just to get their interest up and he saw that he had it. He began talking more and more until he knew they were hooked.

“Rachel, you said you would love to have some of that potion that did this to me, right?” Joshua said.

“Yes I did” Rachel answered.

“What if I told you I know where the old woman keeps it and it isn’t guarded?” Joshua told her.

By now, both women were on the edges of their seats listening intently, hanging on every word he was saying.

“I will help you get it on the condition you let me go after you got it, agreed?” he said seeing they were already in agreement.

“Yes” they both said in unison.

“You could rule any town you desired with that stuff, maybe even the entire country” Joshua said sounding more and more convincing with every word.

The two women thought about all the power they would have. If some cowboy fresh from the range got a little too rough with them, they could show him ROUGH in an all new way.

Joshua began speaking again bringing them back from their wicked thoughts; “so are we all agreed then?”

Eve looked at him and smiled saying “looks like you got yourself a deal little fella” and she extended her index finger to shake on it.

Joshua shook her finger and Rachel held hers out to shake on the deal as well.

“We can leave at first light” Joshua said. You’ll need to get a horse and buggy and a few supplies. It’s about a 3 day ride from here”

“We’ll take care of everything tonight so we can leave out in the morning” Rachel said. She then turned towards Allison and told her to watch him until they got back.