Pony Express Hero. Rhonda Gibson

as she relived memories of wading in the cool water, first with her father and later with Daisy. She realized he was watching her expression and answered, “Yes, it’s a favorite spot of ours.”

      At Daisy’s gleeful squeal, Jacob set the horse into a trot and said, “The sooner we get there the sooner we eat.”

      Daisy laughed and encouraged him to go faster. As if the horse sensed the little girl’s urgency it trotted faster. Lilly found herself laughing with her sister and enjoying the ride. Her hair escaped her braid and teased the side of her face. Lilly knew she’d look a sight if they didn’t get to the stream soon.

      Jacob pulled the wagon off the road and headed for a cluster of trees, where he stopped the horse and set the brake. He turned to smile at her. “Hope you brought plenty. I’m starved.”

      She pushed her hair back. “I believe I did.”

      “Good, ’cause I’m starving, too,” Daisy said, slumping against the seat as if weak from hunger.

      “Daisy, you really are a mess. You know that?” Jacob asked, jumping from the wagon as laughter spilled from his throat.

      She laughed, too, and jumped from the wagon. Lilly held her breath as Daisy sailed over the side of the wagon through the air. Jacob caught her up and swung her around. In one action Daisy showed the two adults just how much she trusted Jacob. How much more would she trust him once she learned he was her brother?

      New fearful thoughts entered her mind. What if Daisy wanted to live with Jacob when he returned to his Wyoming family? Would the little girl leave her? Could she bear it if Daisy did leave?

       Chapter Five

      Jacob watched Lilly’s face as she set down the picnic basket under the tall tree he’d chosen to have their lunch below. Where had the joy gone that had filled her face minutes earlier? She gnawed at her bottom lip as she pulled food from the basket and her change in mood gnawed at him. Something wasn’t quite up to par, but he’d be hanged if he knew what it was.

      Daisy kneeled beside her sister and peered into the hamper. “I want a cookie.” Her small hand reached inside but quickly came back out when Lilly slapped it.

      “No, not now. You have to eat a sandwich first, then you can have a cookie.” She pulled out a ready-made sandwich and handed it to her sister.

      Daisy frowned at it. “Can I eat it by the water?” Her lower lip puckered out as if she was going to cry.

      Lilly reached out and tugged at Daisy’s braid. “Only if you stop pouting and drink all your milk.”

      Daisy sucked in her lip and nodded. She took the bottle of milk that Lilly handed her. “Thanks.” Then with her sandwich in one hand and the milk in the other, she skipped away to the water’s edge.

      “Don’t get your boots wet!” Lilly called after her.

      Jacob joined her under the tree.

      “I won’t,” Daisy called back.

      He sat down on the ground beside the picnic basket. “If I eat all my sandwich, can I have a cookie, too?” Jacob hoped his teasing would bring back the joy they’d shared earlier.

      She offered what he considered a weak smile. “Sure.” She handed him a sandwich wrapped in cheesecloth.

      Jacob took the sandwich. “Thank you.” He waited until she’d finished setting out the food and drinks and then asked, “Is something bothering you?”

      Lilly studied his face. What she looked for, Jacob couldn’t say. He held her gaze, waiting. She looked away, tucking a strand of hair behind one small ear.

      “I have to tell you something.” She played with the corner of her cheesecloth-covered sandwich.

      From the way she was gnawing at her lip, Jacob was pretty sure whatever she had to tell him was pretty important to her. “All right.” He unwrapped the cheesecloth and pulled a piece of ham out from between the bread. Jacob hoped by acting normal it would put her at ease. He bit into the sweet ham and waited.

      “Remember when I told you my father remarried?” She looked up at him.

      “Yes.” Jacob found himself nodding as if to assure her he remembered.

      “Well, I realized the other day, when you told me your last name, that my stepmother was your mother.” She swallowed hard. “I haven’t been sure how to tell you.”

      Her words struck him like lightning hitting a tree. A loud roar began in his head and white-hot pain hit his heart. His eyes burned as the words ricocheted through his mind. His mother was dead. A part of him wanted to grieve, the other part wanted to be angry.

      To fight the grief Jacob focused on the anger. He stood to his feet. His mother had not only abandoned him as a ten-year-old, but now he also felt like she’d abandoned him once again. Now he’d never know why she’d left him at the orphanage.

      “I’m sorry, Jacob. I should have told you the other day.” Sadness filled her voice.

      Jacob wanted to be angry with her but couldn’t be. Hadn’t he already thought that her stepmother and his mother might be the same person? Jacob knew that he had but hadn’t wanted to believe that it was possible.

      He sighed and handed her his uneaten sandwich. “Thank you for telling me, Lilly.” He turned away. The stinging in his eyes was getting worse. Grown men didn’t cry in front of others. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” His throat felt raw as he walked down the bank of the stream away from Lilly and Daisy.

      Unwanted tears streamed down his face as Jacob thought of the loss of his mother. He sat down on a fallen log beside the water’s edge. Jacob had convinced himself that he’d replaced his love for his birth mother with hate, but now knew that wasn’t true. She’d been his mother no matter what reason she’d deserted him. He still loved her even if she didn’t love him.

      “Mr. Jacob?”

      At the sound of Daisy’s voice behind him, Jacob wiped at his eyes. He turned slowly to face the little girl. “Yes, Daisy?”

      “Are you all right? Lilly said I should leave you alone, but...” She walked around the log and saw his face. Daisy stopped and completed her sentence. “I didn’t listen and snuck off.” She reached up and touched his damp cheek. “Are you sad?”

      He placed his hand over hers. “I am.”

      She climbed into his lap and laid her head on his chest. “Why?” Her little hand rested on his shoulder.

      Jacob curled his arms around her small body. “I just found out that my ma is dead.”

      Daisy snuggled closer. “Oh, my ma is dead, too.”

      He tightened his arms around her as he realized that Daisy’s ma and his were the same. “I know.” Jacob rested his chin on the top of her head. Was that the reason Lilly had been afraid to tell him? Did she think he’d take Daisy away from her?

      Jacob inhaled the little girl’s soft scent. Now that he knew he had a real sister, would he be able to leave her with Lilly?

      Grief and confusion washed over him. Jacob held his little sister close and silently prayed. He didn’t want to hurt Lilly, but now that he knew Daisy was his flesh and blood, he’d never leave her. She was all the real family he had left.

      * * *

      Lilly’s fears grew as Jacob and Daisy came back to camp. He held the little girl’s hand in his and new determination filled his eyes. She’d seen Daisy follow him but hadn’t tried to stop her.

      “Lilly, I ate all my sandwich.” Daisy smiled happily. “Can I have my cookie now?”

      “Yes, you can.” Had Jacob told Daisy he was her brother? She turned