Chapter 19

Mary Anna sat in her hotel room and stared out of her window. The sun had set, and the darkening shadows covered the buildings and street. It had been a wondrous and terrifying day. Wonderful that she now had the faith that had eluded her, but terrifying that Chris wasn't back yet.

The posse wasn't back yet, either, so that gave her some hope. Chris had never said they'd be back today, but she had hoped he would. She and Sheila spent the day with Alice, studying the Bible and praying. They had dinner together and then left to go to their own hotel rooms.

It had been a good day. Sheila was a believer now. But those old feelings of loss were haunting her. Mary Anna had expected Paul to come back. Yet, he never did. She never thought she'd lose her beloved house and plantation, but it was gone. Swept away by the winds of war.

What would tomorrow bring? Mary Anna tried to keep her trust in the Lord. This time, she knew she wouldn't be left alone. She had her faith. But was it too much to ask for Chris, too? She loved him.

She sighed and continued to sit by the window and pray. She longed to have Christmas with her husband. To sit and plan their lives. Think about the children they would have and what the ranch would look like.

So much in front of her if he came home.

Dusk slid into night. Tired, she went to bed but not to sleep. Her mind worked hard, coming up with scenario after scenario of what could have happened. Most of them not good. Finally, she fell into a troubled sleep and woke to sunshine slipping between the curtains.

Mary Anna jumped up and dressed. Then she went to her seat by the window. "Soon, Lord. Have them come down that street."

Still, she sat and watched. Prayed and worried and prayed some more. After wrestling with her doubts and fears for most of the day, she stood and gave one last look out the window. She had decided she was going to believe Chris and Jake were coming home to fix up that ranch. She was going to put her faith to work.

Mary Anna went to the restaurant for lunch. She was going to live her life. God was with her, and she had decided it was an insult to Him to live in fear and trepidation. She smiled at those around her and held her head high.

Whatever she had to face, she would face it with faith in a living God. She had just finished an excellent lunch when she heard a commotion outside. She paid her bill and ran to the door.

She glanced down the street and saw Chris riding toward her. He led three horses. Jake was slumped over in his saddle. The two horses behind carried covered bodies. Her heart went out to Chris. She hoped he hadn't had to kill, but seeing Jake injured, figured he had to save his partner.

She ran to him. "Chris, you're all right?"

He stopped and bent down to her. "I'm fine." He put an arm around her, picked her up, and set her in front of him. "I came home to you."

"I was waiting, believing that you would come home."

Sheila came running toward them. "Jake!" Catching up to them, she reached up and patted his shoulder. "Jake, wake up."

Chris looked over at her. "He'll be fine, Sheila. He took a bullet in the arm, but he'll be all right. I'm stopping at the doctor's office."

Sheila took the reins from Chris. "I'll take him to Doc's." She grinned. "Did you find the bank money?"

"Yep. We got it, too." He nodded back behind them. "They wouldn't come easy. I couldn't let them kill Jake."

Mary Anna patted his hand. "You did what you had to do. I know you. I know you gave them a choice. A chance to come in."

He nodded.

She could feel the sorrow in his heart. "You're a good man, Chris. I'm glad we're married."

He looked at her. "I had to kill them."

"I know. It was their choice. They killed a bank teller. Did you know that?"

Chris shook his head. "No, I didn't. I would have brought them in, but they were going to kill Jake."

She caressed his face. "I know. I knew that the moment I saw them draped over their horses. You're a good man, Chris." She reached up and kissed him, hoping to make him feel better and stop condemning himself.

Finally, they were at the sheriff's office. He let her down gently and then dismounted. He tied his horse to the post and knocked on the sheriff's door.

Sheriff Granger opened the door and looked out. "Who did you get?"

"Drake and a member of his gang." Chris pulled a satchel from his saddle. "Here's the bank money."

Smiling, the sheriff took it from him. "I'll get this to the bank right away. The town will be happy. I'll get back to you about the rewards."

Chris nodded. "I'm at The Drover. Room 2B."

The sheriff went over the two horses carrying the bodies.

Chris sighed. "They didn't give me any choice."

"I can understand that. They were both bad. No loss to anyone, I'm sure."

Those words bit deep into Chris. He felt for the men who would go to a grave without anyone's tears. He held Mary Anna close to him. "Let me know when you bury them. I'd like to be there."

The sheriff nodded. "I will. I understand. I always attend the funerals of those I have to kill. It's not an easy task."

Later, after a quick dinner and trip to the doctor to make sure Jake was all right, Chris and Mary Anna went to their room. Chris sat at the chair by the window. "I don't feel any joy that we have saved the ranch."

Mary Anna went to him and sat beside him. "It's a hard thing you had to do today. I'm glad you were able to save Jake's life."

He smiled at her. "Me too. I just hate that I had to take a life to do it. Reminds me too much of the war. The men I had to kill to save my friends in the army."

"Isn't that what a warrior's job is? To protect others? You didn't go out to kill Drake, but he forced your hand when he threatened Jake."

Chris nodded. "Still, my heart hurts for them. They were lost men. They never found their way back."

"It was their choice, Chris. Drake lived off of others. There is no telling how many men he killed or ruined."

"That doesn't make me feel better. I was the one who took his life." He shook his head.

Mary Anna hugged him. "I was thinking. We'll need help at the ranch. Why don't you hire men who have lost their way and try to help them find it again? Kind of a remembrance for Drake so others don't have to die alone and be buried with no one to care."

Chris embraced her. "You're something else. I'm glad I married you."