Iron Pen Winner - Fugitive by @Twilitedaddict

Iron Pen: Twiliteaddict

Challenge Date: May 7
Time Given: 30 minutes
Entries Received: 6

* Original, un-beta'ed version.

"Damn, I hate the smell of manure in the morning," Jasper grumbled from atop his horse. No one was around for him to hear.

Just wide open space for as long as the eye could see - until it ran into the sharp uprising of the mountains. Big sky territory his pappy called it.

But Jasper fancied the thrill of war instead of herding long horn cattle. It was 1848 and the Mexican-American War raged just a few days ride away. He knew he had the shootin' skill to make a worthy soldier.

However, as the oldest of two boys, Jasper knew his father, Carlisle, needed him. Jasper's mother had died giving birth to his younger brother, Edward. Though Edward was now 15 years of age and growing stronger by the day, Carlisle relied on Jasper to make the 200-mile cattle drives every year. Carlisle was getting too old to handle the grueling trip on horseback.

So Jasper continued to keep quiet his love/hate relationship with the 600,000 acre Ranch Esme the shores of Lake Tahoe, nestled high in the Sierra Nevada. He knew they were lucky to own such timber-rich land and large number of livestock, but somehow Jasper felt confined.

The cattle moved slowly. Oozing across the landscape, grazing and making a general mess of the land.

To his surprise, he saw something else moving on the horizon. The waves of heat distorted the image. Like metal to a magnet, he was drawn to it. It was pulling him.

At first he rode slowly toward it, but soon picked up speed, spurred by his curiosity.

Within minutes, he closed in. It was a woman, slouched over her horse. Her dress covered in grime and dust. Her short dark hair matted to her head.

Jasper dismounted, grabbed his water skin, and ran to catch the reins of her horse.

Easing her off, he raised the water container to her parched mouth. Some of the water ran over her face to reveal creamy flawless skin. She was a vision of purity to him.

She sputtered and awakened. Her blue eyes brought him into focus.

"Please, help me. I need shelter from my husband. He is very cruel. I suffer great indignity at his hands. Please help me."

"I will. What is your name?"

"Mary Alice."

Leaving Edward in charge of the herd, Jasper rode back to the ranch with a weak Mary Alice clinging to waist as she rode with him.

"Carlisle!" Jasper called to his father upon his return entering the house with all haste, leaving Mary Alice in the stable to rest upon a mound of hay.

"Jasper, my son, I am glad you have returned. The sheriff has asked for assistance. There is a woman wanted for murdering her husband in cold blood." The sheriff stood holding up the wanted poster, complete with a drawing of the woman with short dark hair and blue eyes.

"Have you seen her, Jasper? She will be hung for her crimes."

Jasper knew his answer would change his life.

"No," he responded.