Leslie and Chaser walked out of the library in silence. Chaser chuckled to himself.

“What’s so funny?”

“I still can’t believe you mouthed Sandy like that. Shouldn’t princesses just put up with that?”

“That shows how much you know about me. She had no right to judge me without properly knowing me.”

“She reckons she knows everything. But your clothes don’t help you.” Leslie looked at herself, then sighed.

“So I should expect to get similar responses from everyone, shouldn’t I?” Chaser stopped on his track. He tipped his hat at her as if greeting her like a gentleman.

“They’ll bite their tongue when I’m around ya.” Leslie smiled and playfully curtseyed at him.

“Well, thank you kind sir.” Right as they reached the front of the general store, a gunshot was heard! Several women started running into the store for safety. Chaser looked towards the direction of the gunshot.

“Les, go inside the store.” Chaser felt for his pistol. Leslie gripped his searching arm.

“What are you thinking, Chaser?” He took her hand off of his arm, causing him to hold her hand in his.

“Just go inside and stay in there!” Chaser ran towards the gunshot, while Leslie did what she was told. For a minute, there was silence. She looked around to see curious people peering through windows. Leslie found a spot on a window facing the outside. She saw Chaser, and what seemed to look like another cowboy. This one, however, looked older than him. His wicked expression could have sent shivers down her spine.

“That’s Ruthless Ross. The man must have escaped the jailhouse.” The store owner said to a young woman.

“I hear he was locked for shootin’ and dicin’ a poor soul.” The owner shook his head in pity.

“That boy is mighty foolish to take him on.” Leslie felt anxious and afraid for Chaser. She started to feel restless. Without thinking, she headed out the store. Just as she came out, two gunshots fired simultaneously. Leslie ducked and covered her face, afraid to see what followed the noise.

“Please, Chaser. Please…” She whispered to herself. Slowly, she stood up and uncovered her eyes, peeking over her fingertips. She saw that Chaser was still standing with his pistol still in his hand. Ten feet apart from him laid the bandit. She sighed a relief, her hand laying over her heart. Chaser looked at Leslie, and for a moment they exchanged a look of both relief and amazement.

“Boy!” The cry came from Leslie’s right. They both jerked around, facing a man who seemed to be reaching his fifties. Over his brown vest resting on his left side of his chest was a badge claiming him to be a sheriff. The man slowly walked towards Chaser, fixating his eyes on the younger cowboy whose color matched his own.

“What’d I tell you about getting involved in my duties?”

“You weren’t here yet, so I got him. He ain’t even dead, you can still lock him up.” The sheriff looked at Chaser in frustration. He looked over to the unconscious criminal, and walked over to him. After examining him, he concluded that Ruthless would be out for a while. Two other cowboys arrived at the scene and aided the sheriff. There was something familiar to Leslie about those two, but she wasn’t sure from where. She looked at the sheriff once again.

“Take him straight to the jailhouse.” He commanded. The others took care of Ruthless as he walked up to Chaser, staring him down.

“Drop what you’re doing and come with me. Looks like I still have a lot of talkin’ to do with you.” The man passed Chaser and continued on his way. Leslie watched as Chaser began to follow the sheriff.

“I’ve got to find out who that man is.” She thought to herself. She went back to the saloon, and told Ray everything that has happened since she had left him there.

“I say good riddance to that clown-boy.”

“Well, unless you learned something about finding a map, Chaser’s the only one that can help us.” He snorted in a chuckle.

“I sure did learn something, but I’ll save that for later. Go talk to one of the saloon owners. One of them has got to know something about him.” Inside, Leslie found Cecil cleaning the counter as Boyd chatted with some wandering cowboys. She told Cecil about the mysterious sheriff that confronted Chaser.

“Ah, you’re talking about ‘Fearless’ Floyd Carson. He’s probably the best sheriff Old West’s ever had. You know, cactus flower, he’s Chaser’s pa.” Leslie raised her eyebrows.

“He is?”

“Yes ma’am. In fact, Chaser’s real name is Chase.” Leslie paused.

“His name is ‘Chaser’ Chase Carson?” Cecil nodded.

“So, where can I find the sheriff?”

“Well, he must’ve gone to his place of business, at the last building on the right before leavin’ the town.” Leslie thanked Cecil and headed out the door. Before she was outside, she heard Cecil call to her. She turned around.

“I wouldn’t worry ‘bout Chaser. He’s probably just in the usual trouble he gets into with his daddy.” Leslie giggled and went to Ray.

“Chaser is at where I assume is the sheriff’s office.”

“It’s not too far from here. You could walk over there if you want to, but please wear the coat. Those clothes just don’t look right on you.” Leslie considered that she would have to walk by herself without Chaser or Ray, and she had gotten looks going from the general store to the saloon. She heeded her mustang’s advice. Leslie pulled the coat over herself, but left the hood down.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? I bet Chaser would love to see you again.” The mustang snorted.

“He’d be happier to see just you, trust me.” Leslie blinked at Ray, then went in the direction Cecil told her to go. Ray watched his human friend go in search of Chaser.

“I knew there was a reason not to like that clown-boy.”

Upon arriving at the building, Leslie noticed that the door was open. She could also hear an argument going on between Chaser and Fearless. As she peeked into the room, Chaser’s back was towards her, while Fearless was towering over his son. She noticed that he was about an inch taller than his son.

“Every cowboy thinks he knows more than every other cowboy, but the only thing they all know for sure is when’s payday and where’s grub. You ain’t even gettin’ paid!”

“Pa, I got Ruthless! Didn’t you see me take him down?” The sheriff clicked his teeth.

“I sure did! What were you thinking? You know well that even I couldn’t shoot him down the first time! You got lucky, boy! An’ what were you doing before he got out?” Chaser was tongue-tied, afraid that his father wouldn’t believe him if he told the truth.

“Um, excuse me?” Fearless made eye contact with the princess as Chaser spun around. Leslie looked from the sheriff, then to his son, and once more to Fearless.

“Who are you?”

“My name is…Les. Chaser and I were going to the general store to find something, until the bandit showed up.” She said nothing more, because she wasn’t sure how much Chaser wanted his father to know. Fearless came closer to the girl and searched her eyes.

“You look mighty familiar, but I know you ain’t from ‘round here. Where’d you come from?” Leslie looked over his shoulder at Chaser. The cowboy sighed, taking off his hat and messing with his short, brown hair.

“You best tell my pa ‘bout you. He can keep it quiet.” Fearless understood and closed the door to the outside. He placed his hands on her shoulders like a parent would in order to get a child to tell what they did.

“Who are you, really? An’ where’d you come from?” She breathed in.

“My name is Leslie, and I’m from a kingdom in the east called Eusto. My parents left to visit another kingdom a few months ago, but they still haven’t returned. I asked-”

“Now, hold on.” His right hand held his chin as he studied her again.

“George. That’s your pa’s name.” Leslie and Chaser were both shocked.

“Yes.”

“And your ma’s name’s Annette, ain’t it?” She nodded in disbelief. The sheriff let go of Leslie and removed his hat to show his graying auburn hair. He whistled to himself.

“Well I’ll be. Princess Leslie’s all grown up.” He could see that Leslie’s eyes were wild from deciphering his last sentence.

“I don’t mean to scare you. You see Leslie; I know your ma and pa.”