He was gone. She couldn't think about him anymore. He chose to leave. She asked him to stay. But he still left. Though he never said the words, she believed he loved her as she loved him. But she guessed she was wrong, for if he truly loved her he would have stayed.

He did love her. But he had a job to do. He still had to make a living. Why couldn't she understand that?

It had been about a five days since Drover had left and he wondered how Sarah was getting on. Oh he knew she could take of things on her own. But he missed her. His heart pinned for her.

One night when Drover went to bed his head felt heavy and fuzzy. He didn't think too much of it at the time. In the middle of the night he woke up shaking. The fire was still going, there was no reason he should feel as cold as he did.

In the pit of his stomach he knew why he was, he just didn't want to admit it. But soon there would be hiding it. Drover slowly sat up and walked away from the campsite. Then it happened. He vomited. He knew he had a fever to go along with the way he felt. But he was determined to fight through it. He still had a job to do.

The next day was tough for Drover to get through for he felt so weak and sick. At night he grew worse. His men grew concerned and decided by the third day when Drover wasn't getting any better to send for Sarah Ashley.

Sarah was sitting alone on the porch when one of Drover's men came riding up. "Mrs. Boss!"

"What is it? Where's Drover?" Sarah asked.

"He's taken very ill Mrs. Boss. I've been sent come get you."

Sarah rushed back inside and quickly packed a few things and left with him. They got to the camp side in a couple of days. They had set up the tent and kept Drover in there. He kept getting worse.

Sarah went into the tent to see Drover lying still on a cot beads of sweat framed his pale face. It pained her to see him so ill. She took the cloth out of the bowl next the cot and gently placed it on Drover's forehead.

He slightly flinched and groaned a little. His eyes were shut and his face looked peaceful and yet uncomfortable at the same time.

"You got to get well Drover. Please get well." Sarah softly said while wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Drover stirred a little before breaking into a coughing fit. Sarah took his hand and gently stroked it. "It's going to be okay."

Drover opened his eyes at the sound of her voice. "Sarah?" He said weakly.

"I'm here."

Drover let out a deep breath. "Sarah I'm so sorry. I didn't..."

"Shh, don't speak. Just rest."

It didn't matter how bad he felt Sarah was really there. And just seeing her made him feel better. It lit a spark in him that he felt had faded when Sarah told him that if he left not to come back.

But even with Sarah there Drover seemed to be getting worse not better.

"How long has he been sick?" Sarah asked.

"About a week."

"We should send for a doctor. He's fever is rising. Whatever is ailing him is winning. He's so weak." Sarah said trying not to cry. She then went back into the tent where Drover was.

He was sleeping. She held his hand and held it tightly in hers. "I love you Drover. I know I've never said it. But I love you. I love you more than I loved anyone. Fight this Drover. You've got to fight this. I need you." Tears slipped from her eyes.

A doctor was sent for and he got there a few days later. He wasn't very hopeful that Drover would last a lot longer. Saying that his body was too weak to fight off the fever. However he said that if Drover's fever broke soon there was hope he would make a full recovery.

Sarah went out of the tent. If Drover was going to die she couldn't sit there and watch it happen. She prayed her fears to be wrong. She had already lost her husband. Yes, she had loved her husband. But the love she now felt for Drover was different than anything she had ever felt before.

"Please God, don't let me lose him too." Sarah cried and then she laid down and fell asleep.

She woke early the next morning to one of the men nudging her. "Mrs. Boss. Mrs. Boss. You need to wake up. Doctor is asking for you. He's in the tent."

There was a knot in her stomach. She was afraid of what the doctor could want. Slowly and nervously she went into the tent. The doctor was standing over Drover. She went over and noticed a slight smile on the doctor's face.

"His fever broke this morning. He'll need rest and lots of it. If he continues to do better, he'll be fine."

Sarah gave out a sigh of relief. The doctor left Sarah alone with Drover. Drover rested peacefully. Joy filled Sarah's heart. His face was still pale, but he had a little more color to it. Looking down on Drover, Sarah felt peace and comfort in her heart. "You're going to be alright." She whispered.

Slowly each day Drover seemed to improve. It had been about four days that he was finally able to get out of bed. He walked out of the tent and saw Sarah sitting on the ground next to the fire. He slowly walked over to her.

"Sarah?"

She turned and faced him and smiled. "Drover. You shouldn't be up yet. You're still weak."

"I'm fine. Sarah I came out here to tell you something."

"What?"

"You made me better. Not just with this illness. But since I've met you. I love you." He gently gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Tears ran down Sarah's face. "Drover. I love you too." She said softly.

It was another four or five days before Drover gained his strength all back. Instead of continuing on the army drove, he returned to Faraway Downs with Sarah.

End