Myra's delving into her family's history has given her a lot to think about. And, like Myra, George has discovered another closely held secret of Eerie, Arizona. He has learned more than he wanted to know and, now that he does knows, he has to decide how he should react to it. But it's hard for a person to make a logical decision while still doesn't know his own mind.

The holiday season comes upon the Fanning household and it keeps both aunt and niece busy for a while. But, day by day, Myra steps ever closer to a confronting mystery that she wishes could be avoided.

In this chapter, Myra discovers an old letter that gives her a new and dismaying view of her family's past. Should she try to understand the true nature of her heritage, or make herself forget about it? Either way, things may never be the same again. But the surprising discovery gives her an excuse to go to the Christmas party, come what may....

The Treasure of Eerie, Arizona -- Chapter 5
By Christopher Leeson and Ellie Dauber

The final chapter – for now. George does chores. Tor returns the stolen horses. Female take notice.

The final Friday of July was hot and hazy, just like many of the previous days had been that summer in northern New Mexico.

There wasn't much going on in the tiny town of Felson's Hell, an occasional dance at the schoolhouse just to let off steam seemed to be about the extent of things here. It sure was different from the busyness of Raleigh that comprised many of my more vivid memories.

It all started a few days after Mrs. Haighton passed away in late April of last year.

Mrs. Haighton had been 74 years old at the time of her passing. She was born three days after Christmas in 1942.

I guess she'd been around to watch as the world changed in ways she may not have been able to understand, but we'll never know now. I do have to say that Mrs. Haighton was a firm but fair woman. As long as you gave her respect, respect would be returned to you.

Looking for a new Andrej. part 2 of 3
The hunt for Avril

The grapevine has the news about 'the new Andreja Pejic' - who is going to find her ?

This story is a sequel to "Hala's Snow Day". There are 8 additional chapters planned to this story.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

-Sixty Four-

Gideon pulled his wagon to the side of the street, and Charles and Forrest pulled in behind. He set the break and wound the reins around the handle. Turning toward Hannah, he gently reached out and patted her leg. "I know the anticipation is probably killing you." He stood and began to climb out of the seat, "Keep the young-uns here in the wagon; I shouldn't be but a bit."

By the time he had reached the street, he was joined by both Charles and Forrest. Together they walked to the Land Office's doorway where they took their place in line with other new arrivals.

Hannah and the children sat and watched the bustle of the small town as people walked and rode past on horses or in wagons. There was an earthy smell from the street, it had not snowed here but it was still chilly. A few passersby tipped their hats toward Hannah, which made her smile and think, ‘If they only knew’.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Fifty Eight-

From a great distance away, it had been lost in the clouds. The closer the wagons neared, it loomed over the treetops and could be seen for miles and miles around. "Mount Hood," Gideon whispered in awe.

"That's a huge hill, Pa!" Cade chirped as he looked on between his parents, "Are we going to have to cross it?"

"Oh dear, I hope not," Hanna sighed fearfully.

"No son, we will skirt the south end of it and move on from there." He glanced at the both of them, "Next big stop will be the Willamette Valley!"

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Fifty One-

Hannah had prepared breakfast for them all; while the children were eating, Gideon was seeing to their animals. “Once you are finished, put your dishes in our bucket and I’ll wash them.” She called out, “I’ll take care of them as soon as I’m done with Em.”

Cade quickly dropped his empty tin into the bucket and went off in search of his father. Watching from the back of the wagon where she was changing Emma, she saw Rachel kneel next to the bucket and begin to wash off the tins. Hannah smiled inwardly, as without being asked, the young girl took it upon herself to assist her.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Forty Three-

Pulling off his boots, he set them aside and then removed his pants so he was only clad in his drawers and long shirt. Hannah had removed her dress and sat in the chemise running a brush through her long hair. Gideon stretched out and watched her profile, illuminated by the soft glow from their campfire. She returned his gaze and smiled, feeling great thankfulness for his love.

He rose himself up on an elbow, enjoying the view she offered. There was a slight shadow that her form cast against her chemise; it allowed him a glimpse of her breasts as they swayed with the motion of the brush. He could already feel the telltale swelling produced from viewing such loveliness which had captivated him.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Thirty Four-

Hannah and Cade watched Gideon and Charles stand off to the side and discuss the fee for the wagons to ride across the Green; from the looks on their faces they were not happy. She removed her bonnet and held it in her hand, quickly looking back toward a sleeping Em. "Papa doesn't look too happy, does he?" Cade whispered.

"No honey, he does not." She sighed, as the man continued to gesture toward their wagon. Gideon shook his head and waved him off, then turned and stormed back toward the wagon, Charles and the man exchanged words before he too headed back.

Gideon's expression was of a man who didn't like what he had heard. He climbed up into the wagon and sat staring at the man, his jaws flexing in anger. "Well?" Hannah, asked, breaking the sullen silence.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Twenty Six-

Crawling out from under the wagon, Hannah struggled to rise up; looking about in the early light of morning, she could not see any sign of Gideon. She was feeling out of sorts, as she made her way to the fire to replenish the wood to begin cooking their breakfast.

Arden climbed down from her wagon and came to assist Hannah. “You look a mess this morning, did you have trouble sleeping?”

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Twenty One-

As the wagon train was beginning to come to life in the early morning hours, Hannah was cooking fish that Gideon and Cade caught while the sun was still below the horizon. As she was crouching over the skillet; she noticed that her dress was smoking at the bottom.

In frustration she smacked at the scorched hem, "If I don't set myself on fire wearing these dresses, I'm going to kill myself over sexual frustration." She groused under her breath. Hearing a noise back of her, she turned to see Arden standing slightly behind their wagon. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry... just about set one of my best dresses on fire."

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Seventeen-

In the pre-dawn light, the train was slowly coming to life. Families had eaten and were now hitching their mules, horses and oxen to them. Hannah was holding Em and standing beside Gideon, while Cade sat on the back of the near mule watching.

“What do we do with the little cart?” she asked, capturing a loose lock of hair and tucking it behind her ear.

“I’d love to take it with us, but we’re going in some real rough country soon and I’m afraid it will just drag us down.” He looked past Hannah to the cart where it sat off the side of the trail.

Hannah sighed, then turned to also look at the cart. “We can leave it; perhaps someone else could use it for repairs or may have use for it in some way.”

Gideon had been watching her, remembering to what she had done only last night, his mind dwelling on what his heart wanted him to do to, and for her. But alas, it wasn’t to be… for as soon as she could, she would be gone. He couldn’t help studying the curve of her form, mesmerized in the beauty she possessed. Her wavy red locks drifting in the morning air, she was so much like ‘his’ Hannah…and yet, nothing like her.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Fifteen-

In her dreams she looked down at herself from above sleeping with little Em, and there was a man standing at the rim of the embankment. She sat up and turned to face him, the Walker Colt raised and threatening.

The man in the dream was a kind man, he approached her, gently removing the gun and placing it in the grass beside them. He kissed her passionately, as his rough, working man's hands tenderly held each side of her face. Again and again they kissed, until he had lowered her into the soft grasses. She was beside herself with concern. Why didn't she resist his advance? Why did she so willingly allow him to control her as he did?

She threw her head back into the grass as he began to kiss and fondle her breasts, arching her body to allow the man better access to her femininity. Even though asleep, she couldn't fathom why she would allow this to happen and yet, why she wouldn't put up more of a struggle. It was as though her body wanted to experience this from the feminine perspective.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Eleven-

She approached the back of the wagon and began setting things down. After a while, Luttie climbed down and escorted a reluctant Hannah to the back of her wagon. “I’ll hold the little one for you. Get into the clothes I set out for you, everything should be there to give you at least one good outfit suitable for a young woman.”

Standing inside the wagon, Hannah began to reluctantly disrobe. She peeled herself out of the pants and ‘johns’ that Ezrah had worn and hesitated to drag up the drawers that Luttie had picked out. Once it was on, she sighed and picked up the chemise and pulled it over her head.

“Here are some stockings that were hers too…” She said as she tossed them toward Hannah. Hannah sat on the floor of her wagon and pushed her feet into the long stockings. She watched as Hannah stood and drew up the corset.

“I know it isn’t as fancy as you probably wore back in Indiana, but out here you’ll be thankful for the support that it’ll give you. Your back has to be pretty tired with the size of your bosom.”

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

The story continues - Hope you enjoy!

-Six-

As Ezrah dreamt, far off he could hear the sound of a train whistle. The closer it came to him, the louder it became, sounding much like he was laying right there on the tracks. The shrill train whistle screaming like a banshee woke him and caused the youth to bolt upright, his now unfettered feminine breasts seemed to have a life of their own. As they settled he looked down, a great wet spot saturated the front of his chest, right at their very summit.

“Oh shit!” he cursed as he sat up and felt the front. There was no mistaking that by becoming Hanna, he was now lactating. He looked over at the baby fussing and crying, and tried desperately to ignore her, but it was no use. It was the baby crying that made him dream of the train, and it seemed the more she cried, the wetter Ezra's shirt became. As he sat up, his eyes came into contact with the body of the woman, although she was an exact duplicate of what he had once looked like… only wearing the bloodied dress.

A Love So Bold
by Anon Allsop

I will try to upload a Chapter a week. The story is complete but very large - thus the reason to release it in smaller chapters. It was originally intended to be a novel, but I don't have the desire to pursue publishing. I want to thank my most trusted Editor, J.P. for all of his help on making this story be all it can be, without him, in my opinion - this story wouldn't be half as good. Hope you enjoy!

Preface: Origins of the Amulet of Asclepius

The amulet was a thin medal of hammered silver, an ancient necklace which dated back to before the time of Christ. It first came to knowledge with the early Greeks, said to have been imbued with great mystical powers, forged directly by the hands of the gods. On one side of the amulet was a clear, blue sapphire teardrop that appeared to have a sunburst deeply etched within the backside of the beautiful stone. On the reverse side was an engraving that looked somewhat similar to the Rod of Asclepius, a snake wrapped around a staff. It was believed to have been suspended on a thin but unbreakable chain, thought to have been made from woven strands of Zeus' own silver hair.

The White Squaw
By Anon Allsop

A young settler is captured by Indians while wearing women's clothing. To keep from being killed, the boy is forced to assume the role of the white female he is pretending to be. Donovan becomes friends with a white female who has been living with the Indians for many years, however, his ruse only worsens as he desperately tries to ward off the amorous advances of his Tehya's step-brother.

From my research on this story, the Osage were as far north as Independence Missouri in 1825. The youth was captured along the Platt River in 1851 by a lone Indian and then taken south for Several days. He had no real idea where he was...he only knew that Indian was in control, and he would die... The Osage Indians at the time of my story, were mostly living in Southern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma, however, It would not be beyond the realm of possibility for a single Indian to venture as far north as the Platt River.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Twelve-

There was an earthy smell of Spring in the air, snow was melting and Aponi had noticed two birds of the like she had never seen before. There was a bird that she seemed enamored by, bright blue with a dusty orange upon its chest. Another was a bright yellow and had black feathers in its wings, a smattering of white downey feathers covering it's neck. Both birds were occupying upper and lower branches of the same tree, but each seemingly ignored the other.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Four-

His hands stinging from the cold, Etu continued to smack it against the bole of the tree, its impact scarring the bark deeply. To have come so close to his beloved and to lose her in this snowstorm would seem almost unfathomable to the young warrior. Always before his eyes, the swirling snow blowing in his face, seemed merge everything into one ferocious gray fog.

Desperately wanting to strike out in search of Aponi, yet he knew that once he left Machk, he might not find him again. So, the young brave did the only thing he could and continued to strike the limb against the trunk of the tree.