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Emma's mind was frantic with the thought of escape! Her eyesight had not been clear, but the little she had seen was more than enough to make her sick with fright. He was just like those two Indians after all, and she had been naive to hope that he wasn't! Branches flailed at her body as she thrust herself heedlessly into the forest, desperately trying to find a hiding place from the monster that she was sure was now pursuing her.

"Ma'am!" a voice called out from behind.

Finding no place to hide, Emma ran as fast as her wounded leg would carry her. When she felt a hand catch hold of her dress, she screamed uncontrollably.

"Have you gone plumb crazy?" shouted Josiah, struggling to get his arms around her to hold her still.

"Don't kill me!" she screamed, gripping the arms holding her around the waist. "Please, don't kill me!"

"Calm down, Ma'am!" Josiah's voice was getting more agitated by the moment, until he finally pushed her to the forest floor and weighted her down with his body.

As she squirmed beneath him, Emma's hand touched the still dripping, gruesome trophy hanging from Josiah's belt; it rapidly sent her into renewed hysterics.

Josiah reached for his belt and tossed aside the offending scalp. Then he pinned Emma's arms to the ground by her wrists.

"I ain't gonna hurt you!" he huffed into her face. The adrenaline from battle was still fresh in his veins, and his heart was pounding so loudly it nearly drowned out her voice.

"You're just like them!" she cried.

"I never said I was no angel, Emma!"

"That man was still alive!"

"They was the enemy!" Josiah argued. "If I hadn't done it to them, they would've gladly done it to me!"

Emma shook her head. "That doesn't make it right!"

It wasn't a surprise to discover that she had religion, for Josiah had figured as much by the way her father had mumbled God's name in prayer before death.

By now, Emma was weeping pitifully beneath him, horrified at this man who had taken her as his wife.

"Now, now," Josiah tried to soothe her, "I ain't all that bad." His conscience smarted a bit from his lie. Not liking what he knew Emma must be thinking about him, Josiah tried to distract her by running his hand down her arm. When Emma's sobs broke off in a gasp of inadvertent pleasure, Josiah saw his chance for a little revenge. "Stop blaming yourself fer having a good time," he chided.

When Emma felt the humiliation of his remark, it filled her with indignation and confused shame. By the look on her face, Josiah knew she was still struggling to reconcile her senses with what her upbringing had taught her was right.

"Are you trying to tell me you didn't enjoy last night?" he laughed at her mockingly.

"I can't be married to you," answered Emma. "You aren't a Christian."

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