Hope Read Online Free

anyone find her? Faith? June? Aunt Thalia?
    Our Father, who art in heaven, how now be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy . . . thy . . . something or other be something or other . . .
    “Stay where you are!” a hoarse voice called out.
    “You ain’t gettin’ the box!” Mr. Barnes yelled.
    Another harsh laugh. “You totin’ cash money? Throw it down!”
    “Stay back, Joe! Yore horse is gonna—”
    A gun exploded and a horse whinnied. Hope carefully edged back to the window. One of the bandits was now lying spread-eagle on the ground, rubbing his noggin.
    “Git back!” the grating voice yelled to the drivers who’d gone for their guns.
    The drivers stepped back, still shielding the strongbox.
    The second rider eyed the outlaw sprawled on the ground. “Git up, Joe. This ain’t no time to be foolin’ around.”
    The man sat up, nursing his head between his knees. “Fool horse. Pert near knocked the thunder outta me.”
    A third man rode in, his gun leveled on the drivers. His voice was steady, unyielding. “Throw down the box, and no one gets hurt.”
    Hope shivered at the sound of the strong, confident tone. It was nothing like the others. She timidly poked her head out the window, her heart skipping erratically. The outlaw with the calm voice wore a mask across his face, but the disguise couldn’t hide his dark good looks.
    The heavy metal box bit into the dirt beside the coach.
    “Whooeee! Look at that!” The big man on the ground shook his head to clear it, then got to his feet. “We got us another U.S. Army money box!”
    The second outlaw climbed off his horse and approached the cache. “Yes sirreeee. That’s sure nuff what it is, all right—got us another army payroll! Money and the woman too! This must be our day!”
    “Lemme have it.”
    “No way. Frog’s gonna carry it. You cain’t even stay on yore horse.”
    Frog urged his animal forward, and the outlaw slid the cash box across his lap.
    “Now, let’s see what we got inside here.” The big man, undaunted by humiliation, walked over to the coach and yanked the door open. Hope stared into the face of one of the strangest-looking men she’d ever seen. Thick body, bowed legs, square face. It appeared as if someone had fashioned a seven-foot man, then pushed him down into a six-foot-three body with a wandering eye.
    “Well, howdee do! Here’s what we’re lookin’ for!” Big Joe’s mouth split into a tobacco-stained grin. “It’s Thomas Ferry’s daughter! And ain’t she pretty.”
    Dan’s eyes switched to the frightened girl. “Senator Thomas Ferry’s daughter?” He urged his horse closer to the coach. “What are you doing?”
    Joe looked back at him. “This here is the daughter of the big politician from Michigan. Read in th’ paper that she was on her way to visit friends in Louisville—”
    “You cain’t read!” Boris accused.
    “Oh, all right! I had someone read it to me! What’s the difference?” Joe’s good eye rested on the prize. “Bet her daddy will pay a fine ransom to get his little girl back. A fine ransom.”
    The young woman drew back, slapping the outlaw’s hand when he reached for her.
    “Now don’t be spunky, little gal. Come on out here and let us have a look-see at what’s gonna make us rich.”
    Boris grinned. “Yeah, rich—even if we cain’t spend any of the money.”
    “Not yet, we cain’t. But in a few months, when we got all we want, we’ll lie back and let the stink die down; then we’ll hightail it to Mexico and live like kings.”
    Big Joe reached inside the coach, but the woman scooted to the far end of the bench. “Why, Boris, she don’t want to come out,” Big Joe complained. He grinned. “Guess I’ll jest hafta go in and git her.”
    One boot was on the metal step when the occupant apparently decided it would be better to exit the stage herself than have him inside with her.
    “I’m coming out!”
    “She’s coming out,” Joe repeated loudly.
    “Could be she