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an aspirin please?"
    H e unpocke t ed t he plas t ic bo tt le and shook two aspirin tablets into her hands.
    "I can't take them wi t hout water."
    H e made an impa t ient scoffing sound. "It's either dry or with brandy."
    " B rand y , please."
    H e passed her one of t he flasks, watching her closely. She b r ave l y put the spout to her mou t h and took a hefty swallow to
    wash down the aspirin tablets. She choked and sputtered. Tears filled her eyes, but wi t h dignity and poise s he returned the flask in him. " Thank you."
    Hi s narrow lips twitched with the need to smile. "You might not have any common sense, but you've got guts, lady."
    And that, she thought, was as close to a compliment as she
    was ever likely to get from Cooper Landr y . He secured the trunks of the saplings beneath his arms and moved forward, dragging the travois behind him. After having gone only a few tee t h-jarring, butt-bruising yards, Rusty realized that she wasn't going to be much better off in the travois than she would have been walking. It required all her concentration just to keep from sliding off. Her bottom would be black and blue with bruises-legacies of the rocks it encountered every grueling step of the way . She dared not even think of the satin lining of her coat being ripped to shreds by the forest debris as it was hauled over the rough ground.
    It grew progressively darker and colder. A light precipitation began—snow grains she thought the meteorologists called the stuff, pellets of ice no larger than grains of salt. Her injured leg began to ache, but she would have bitten her tongue in two before she complained. She could hear Cooper's labored breathing. He wasn't having an easy time of it either. If it weren't for her, he could cover three times the distance in the same amount of time.
    Darkness closed in suddenly, making it perilous for them to continue over the unfamiliar terrain. He stopped in the next clearing he came to and dropped the poles of the travois. "How're you doing?"
    She didn't think about how hungry, thirsty, and uncomfortable she was. She said, "Fine."
    "Yeah, sure. How are you really?" He knelt down and whipped off the covering of furs. Her bandage was soaked with fresh blood. He quickly replaced the furs. "We'd better stop for the night. Now that the sun has set, I can't tell which direction I'm going in."
    He was lying, only saying that to make her feel better. Rusty knew that he would keep going if it weren't for her. It was doubtf ul that he was afraid of the dark or that inclement weather w ou ld faze him. Even though he'd been dragging her for hours, he a pp e ar e d to have enough stamina to go at least another two.
    He circled the clearing and began shoveling pine needles into pile. He spread the pelts over them and came back for Rusty. C oop e r?"
    " Hm m?" He grunted with the effort of lifting her off the travois.
    " I have to go to the bathroom."
    Sh e couldn't see him clearly in the darkness, but she could feel shoc ked stare. Embarrassed beyond belief, she kept her head d own. "Okay," he replied after a moment, "Will your leg su pport you while—"
    " Yes, I think so," she said in a rush.
    He carried her to the edge of the clearing and gen tl y lowered her to stand on her left leg. "Brace yourself against the tree," he instruc ted gruffly "Call me when you're done."
    It was much more difficult than she had expected it to be. By the time she had refastened what was left of her trousers, she was s h i ver ing wit h weakness and her teeth were chattering with cold. " Al l r ight, I'm finished."
    Co oper materialized out of the darkness and lifted her into hi s arm s again. She would never have thought a bed of pine needels and animal pelts could have felt so good, but she sighed with relief when he laid her on it and she was able to relax.
    Co oper packed the furs around her. "I'll build a fire. It won't muc h of one. There's not enough dry wood. But it'll be better than nothing and might help ward