Snippet #2636265

"Y-Yes," the girl managed to croak out, her eyes wide. She gave a little cough, shifting into a sitting position now that her bonds were cut. She kept the coat close around her, trying to hide her nakedness, while she collected herself. "They...they're gone. T-They got taken away this morning....by the men in the carriages. I-I don't know where they went....th-they woulda taken me too, b-but, they said there weren't no room left, and they'd come back for me later. I'm the only one left."

Meanwhile, the fighting continued outside. The sound of the rampaging horses was soon drowned out by gunfire, as Horatio and the posse marched through the camp, gunning down bandits left and right. The sinners themselves soon joined the firefight, many giving up on the horses as they took cover, hunkering down for the fight of their lives.

Just then, the flap of the tent opened up, a scraggly-bearded man bursting in, rifle drawn. He paused for a half-second, surprised to see Anna there, but that didn't last long. Already alerted and having the drop on the female Dog, he raised his rifle, prepared to gun her down--

--And indeed, a gunshot rang in the air, the deafening noise thundering in Anna's eardrums. The man didn't get a shot off, however; instead the bandit gave a harsh cry, falling to the ground as he thrashed around, blood leaking from the bullet hole in his back. Behind him stood Horatio, pistol still smoking.

"Sit still before I finish the job," Horatio proclaimed, slamming a boot down on the bandit's back, purposely grinding the heel of his boot against the bandit's bleeding wound. The bearded man cried out in pain, squirming on the ground, but he stopped resisting, merely moaning out in agony now.

"Looks like we've got our live one," Horatio commented, before looking over at Anna and the girl. The older Watchdog frowned, a sinking feeling already starting to swell in his stomach. "Is she it? Where are the other kids?"