Rose Fourteen

Her tears really flowed when he reached her. Slipping down from his horse, he helped her down and hugged her. She buried her head into his shoulder and continued to cry.

Caressing her hair, he said, “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to come out here. Things sure haven’t gone well for us.”

“I’m sorry, Papa,” Rose said, “I’m sorry.”

He felt a damp area in her hair and gently pushed her back. Turning her head, he noticed the bruise on the side of her face. Pushing her hair back slightly, he exposed a cut above her ear. “Did Mr. Brady do this to you?”

“He was angry because I pushed him when he was going to shoot the Indian boy,” Rose said. “I couldn’t let him kill him, Papa!”