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Page 326

| Sasha was awakened abruptly by the gunfire. With her eyes wide and frightened, she searched the cabin for Ashton. "No," she cried to herself. "Oh, Ashton, what now?" |

| She rose from the bunk and hurried into her clothes. Combing her fingers through her hair, she ran from the cabin. Her heart pounding, she looked for Ashton among the men at the rail, and when she found him she scurried to his side and without even asking him yanked his other revolver from its holster. Aiming into the horsemen, she fired, then was shaken to the core when Ashton discovered her there and jerked the gun from her hand. |

| "Sasha, get back to the cabin!" he shouted. "Lord, woman, can't you see danger when it's staring you square in the eye?" |

| Sasha stood her ground, flinching when a bullet whizzed by her head, making a strange sort of zinging sound. Although her knees were shaking and her heart was pounding, she grabbed the revolver back from Ashton. |

| "Ashton, you choose the craziest times to fuss at me," she scolded. "While you are doing so we could both be shot. Now leave me be. I can shoot a gun. Let me!" |

| The pinging of bullets scraping against the deck and rail close beside them caused Ashton to wheel back around and begin shooting at the horsemen again. Sasha steadied her aim, closed her eyes, and fired again; this time the jolt of the firing threw her off balance. Awkwardly she fell backwards, her backside making painful contact with the wooden deck. |

| But not to be dissuaded, knowing that every gun |

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