Innocence Lost

Chapter 21

Arthur, walked over to the horses, and looked for Ella's little horse. It was grazing, but the saddle was nowhere to be seen.

"Kieran," Arthur yelled, "Kieran, where are you?"

Kieran, heard his name, and trembled. He was still worried, every time one of the gang, spoke to him. Half expecting to be killed, or beaten.

He dropped the hay bale, that he was carrying, and ran over.

"Sorry Mr Morgan, I was just fetching hay, for the horses," he said, slightly panicked.

Arthur sighed, and put his hand on Kieran's shoulder. Kieran, flinched.

Arthur rolled his eyes, "Kieran, I ain't gonna hit ya!"

"Sorry Mr Morgan," he said, trying to force himself to relax.

"How many times have I told you, it's Arthur. Now, where is Ella's saddle?"

Kieran pointed to a tree. "I unsaddled the horse, when Javier, came in with it. Did I do wrong?"

Arthur smiled, and shook his head, "No, its fine. I just need the saddle bags."

Arthur walked over, to where the saddle was leaned against the tree. He grabbed the saddlebags, and tossed them over his shoulder.

Arthur, carried the saddle bag back to Dutch's tent. He glanced around, to see if anyone was watching, but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He quickly slipped inside the tent.

Ella tried to sit up, she gritted her teeth, and winced, as a shaft of pain, went through her shoulder.

"Help me sit up," she groaned.

Dutch touched her cheek, "you should be resting, you've lost a lot of blood,"

Ella sighed, "I'm afraid, that if we don't find out who this is soon, it won't be just me who dies. They won't care who gets hurt, to get to me. So please, just help me, Dutch,"

Dutch shook his head, but gently put his hand on Ella's back, and helped her to sit.

She closed her eyes for a second, suddenly feeling dizzy. She took a deep breath, and swung her legs, so that they were dangling over the edge of the bed.

Ella gasped, waiting for the wave of pain, and nausea to pass. She opened her eyes.

Ella patted the bed, "Put it down here," she said, looking at Arthur.

Arthur dropped the Saddlebag, on the bed. He grabbed a cup of water, and passed it to Ella,

"here, have a drink, and take it slow, your still very weak," he said, concern in his voice.

Ella took a drink, and handed the cup back to Arthur, "we don't have time, to take it slow." She said, gritting her teeth.

Ella, opened the saddle bag, and started rummaging around inside. She finally found what she was looking for.

"I found these, when I thought you were gonna turn me in, and the morning after the night, when you didn't sleep with me." she said, looking at Dutch, "Someone else, other than us, knew what happened, with Micah. So they knew I would be worried." She sighed, "they planted a seed of doubt, I'm sorry, I should have trusted you."

Ella laid the first note on the bed;

Be careful who you trust,

The Devil, was once an Angel

Dutch looked at the note, then looked at Ella, his face, full of hurt, "Ella...I..."

Ella touched his face, "Please don't say anything..." Tears filled her eyes. She blinked them away.