77

SOME GIFTS NOT MEANT TO BE GIVEN

ERIC GONSOULIN

For my high school track team

Chapter one

Love in the air

March 1st, 1889

She filled my heart. Always and for the full three years I had been seeing her. She was my world. What else could I say, I loved her and she loved me. Sometimes I wondered how in the hell could a man with a past like mine ever be with a girl as sweet and beautiful as Ally Kittler. I was young, twenty exact compared to her nineteen, yet we were very different. I was raised a rancher and was too fast with a gun not to have people watching me. A few years ago, a boy in town had tried to kill me. I hesitated, not wanting to start a bad reputation, but he drew first and gave me no choice. Thank you God she believed my story, unlike everybody else. She was the kind of girl who was sweet to everyone, didn’t matter if you thought she was an awesome person or you hated her she treated everyone the same. She would always talk about me, so others have said. She would talk about the future, our kids and how much I showed my love for her. She did the same for me as well. She told me every day “Cole I love you please never let me go,” and you could see it in her eyes she meant it. Then she’d ask me “Do you love me, Cole?” There would be no hesitation in my answer, for there was no answer other than the one I gave her. “Of course I do Ally and no, I’ll never let you go,” then, like all girls do, she’d give me a curtsy and a smile then ask me “Cole Chase, are you sure?” I’d always wait a minute or two, just to make her think, and then I would simply say yes. Then she would jump into my arms, never letting go until her father or mother came walking up the boardwalk. Unfortunately for me her parents had a much different outlook on me than she did. Ever since I killed that boy, the ranchers in the town have always been known as the rowdy bunch of the town, and Ally’s father, who was the town marshal, was probably the most radical of them. He loathed my parents and everything they stood for just as much as her despised me, even though they had never harmed them at all. Thankfully no bullets had been fired, yet. Her mother on the other hand still did not approve of what had happened but either realized that I had defended myself or that her daughter was in love and that couldn’t be changed by them. I didn’t know which of the two it was but for some reason she did approve of me, more than her husband at least. Ally didn’t care about this. She’d just shake it off and continue to see me when she could, which was quite often due to the fact that I rode into town each day acting like I was there to get supplies. My parents and sister were completely different than Mr. Kittler. They told me each day that Ally was a blessing to me and that we had something special and I loved to hear them say those things.

********

Someone tapped me on the back and my day dream came to an end. I spun around and there before me in my moonlight shadow was a little brunette who I considered an angel, and her name was Ally. “Evening Mr. Chase, mean everything you said ‘bout me back there?” Apparently I had said the part about Ally aloud, “Why of course Ms. Kittler.” She looked at me with her beautiful then giggled, “Are you for sure and for certain?” I bent down and kissed her lightly. “Do you need more reassurance,” I asked with a smile? She smiled back, “Of course I do. Where are we going?”

I smiled, “Come on, I’ll show you. First we got to stop by the ranch house to pick up some supplies.” She smiles at me and then jumped on her horse, waiting for me to mount mine. I paused for a moment and stared at her. “Everything okay Cole?”

“Fine, I’m just standing here taking in your beauty.”

She laughed at my remark, “Well you can stare at me all you want when we get to your secret hide-away.” She then took off on her horse and called, “I’ll race you!”

I looked at my horse, Red, and then back at her as she rode off towards my ranch. “Ready to go boy,” I said as I jumped into the saddle, and like a queue, he took off after her.

Chapter Two

Heaven’s Hill

I could see the ranch house light on the hilltop as I caught up with Ally. Her horse, Sunset, glided alongside Red like an inseparable pair. The house was getting closer as we raced towards it, then she shouted, “Home Stretch!” She started to speed up, and I let her go by me as we pulled into the stables of the house. She parked Sunset next to a hay bale and as I pulled Red next to her, she pulled me off onto the hay and she lay there next to me. She was so close to me it was almost as if we were one flesh, not two. He arm found its way around me as she said, “Cole, where do you think we’ll be in twenty years?” She gazed at me with her starry eyes, and then kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Well, I can’t tell you that but I can show you where we’ll be in just a little bit. But first I have to go let my parents know we’re on the ranch.” How she did it I don’t know but she pulled me closer to her. Our eyes were mere inches apart. Then with a smile she said, “I’ll be right here waiting for you.” I smiled back at her, “I’m sure you will be.” I got up, leaving her lying there on the hay bale. She looked so much like the Virgin Mary, at least to me. I walked inside the house and was immediately met by my father, Frank Chase. “Going somewhere?”

“Yeah I’m taking Ally up to Heaven’s Hill for the evening. I just stopped by to tell ya’ll we were going to be on the ranch.” He looked at me with a smile. “You remind me so much of when your mother an’ I were dating.” I laughed at this remark. “I’ll bet I do.” He chuckled, and then he went silent as I pulled an object out of my shirt pocket. “Also wanted your opinion on this,” I said as I opened the small box. He was stunned, “Cole, how in the hell did you get that?” I smiled at him. “Do you like it?” He nodded his head with a smile, “It’s beautiful Son, but how did you get your hands on it?”

“I told Mr. Smith I wanted something really nice, and he pulled this out. Then he stated the price, and of course I didn’t have enough for it. So I started to walk out with my head hung low and then he called me back in and told me he’d pay for half,” I could see he was stunned, stunned that I was willing to spend this much for someone. He then looked up at me, “Do you have enough to live on now, I mean in that house?”

“I got enough for that and a month’s supply of food, and I was hoping that you could hire me?” Again, he chuckled, “Son, this ranch is part yours. Whatever profit we get from the cows each season, half goes to you and your family.”

“Thank you Pa, I really appreciate it.”

“Any particular time you’ll be back tonight?”

“Nope, but I’ll be here to tend to the herd in the morning” He nodded his head at me, “Alright, I’ll see you in the morning.”

I walked back out to the stables and found our horses there, but no Ally. I whispered her name a few times but there was no answer. I walked beside two hay bales and was about to whisper her name a third time when someone grabbed me from behind and brought me down into the hay. Ally then whirled me around to where we were face to face. She giggled as she pressed herself against me and she said, “Cole, I love you.” I stared into her eyes, “I love you Ally.”

“So where are you going to take me?”

“Someplace special, come on I’ll show you.” I straddled my horse and lead Ally and Sunset out of the stables and then we took off into the moonlight.

********

I halted my horse on a small ridge that overlooked a tributary of the Canadian river. The moonlight shone off the river and looked like glass flowing through the valley. Also shining in the moonlight were the rolling plains above the valley, which looked like a peaceful ocean. Ally gasped as we came to the summit of the hill, one that I call Heaven’s Hill. “This is beautiful Cole. Where are we?”

“This is a place I like to call Heaven’s Hill.” She smiled at me, “Well, this truly is Heaven I think,” she stated as she sat atop her horse, “I could stare at this all night, what time is it?” I got down from my horse and took a watch out of my saddlebag. “Nine o’clock and that was my plan if that’s okay with you.” I then pulled the saddle and a blanket off my horse, laying them both on the ground. Ally got down of her horse and came over to me. She looked at me with her passionate eyes, “As long as I’m with you, I’ happy.” She said with a big smile, and then fell onto the blanket and I followed. She snuggled against me in my arms as we lay there, gazing out at the beautiful land and at each other. She looked so much like an angel in the full – moon light. She smiled and giggled at me when I pulled her closer. “Cole, can you take me here every night?”

“You can come whenever you like.” She turned her head, and our eyes met. “I want to be here with you, no one else but you,” She said with a giggle, “Will you pick me up every night?”

I paused for a moment, just to play with her. Her eyes looked sad when I didn’t answer. I began to laugh, “Of course I will, every night.” She smiled then leaned forward and kissed me on the nose, “Thank you,” She said, then turning her head and noticed a small light in the distance. “Oh look, the prairie house. I’ve always loved that little house.” I figured this was as good a time as any. I got up from beside her and walked to my saddlebags. “Where are you going,” She asked me as I pulled the small box from the cloth I had around it for protection. I bent down beside her. “Well Ms. Kittler-,” She stopped me. “Cole, I hate it when you call me that,” She said with a small laugh. “Well what shall I call you then?” She pondered on the thought for a moment. “I can’t decide; you pick.” There was no hesitation in my answer as I got down on one knee. “How ‘bout Mrs. Chase,” I said as I opened the box, revealing the small diamond ring. She threw her hands over her mouth in disbelief of what was taking place. I just knelt there, smiling at her, “Used up most of my savings, but I still got enough to buy that little Prairie house you always wanted from my parents.” She got to her knees, her hands still covering her mouth. “Ally Kittler, will you marry me?” She burst into tears of joy as she threw herself into my arms. “Yes, yes I will Cole Chase,” She said as she became face to face with me. We lay down onto the blanket as she kissed me for the longest time. “Cole, I want to go home. To our home, and I want to fall asleep with you.”

“Well there’s no bed or furniture there, but we can stay at my parent’s house tonight and start to move in tomorrow. I’m sorry.” Again she smiled at me. “That works for me.”

Chapter Three

Honeymoon

We rode up to the stables of the ranch house and as I helped her down from her horse, she fell into my arms. We toppled onto a bale of hay and lay there, her on top if me, and then she asked me, “Do your parents know you were going to ask me?”

“I gave my Pa a hint earlier tonight, but I never actually told them I was going to ask you.” She laughed, “Well, we best go tell them the news.”

“Yes we should.” We walked into the house laughing with her arms around me. We probably looked like a couple of drunks after a party. My Father then walked into the room, followed by my Mother. “Just what have you two been up to,” my Mother asked? Ally looked at her and smiled, “Well, Mrs. Chase let’s just say we were two now we are one.” She then smiled and showed her the ring her finger. My Mother threw her hands in the air, ran over and hugged us. She then looked at me, “Treat her well.” Ally then cut in, “Oh he does, Mrs. Chase. He treats me like a princess each an’ every day.”

“Well I’m glad,” Her face was overjoyed by the great news. My Father then walked over to me and hugged me. “You done great Son, I’m proud of you.” He then walked over to me new fiancé. He looked at her for a moment, while she glanced at me trying to figure out what he was going to say. He then laughed, “Ally I just wanted to tell you how happy I am to have you as a part of our family and I look forward to the years to come with you,” He then glanced at me, “And I’m sure Cole looks forward to them more than I do.” I chuckled at this remark, “I surely do,” I said as I hugged Ally, “Where’s Lindsey?”

“She’s already called it a night,” my Father said, “So, Ally you are welcome to stay the night here if you like.”

She looked up at him, “Yes that would be great. I told my parents I would be out tonight anyway. May I stay in the guest room?” My Father chuckled. “Well what reason is there for a newlywed couple to be separated? You may stay with Cole in his room if you like.” She glanced at me with a smile, “If that’s ok with my fiancé?” I looked at my Mother, and she nodded. “I wouldn’t have anyone else with me,” I said as I looked at her. My Mother then glanced at my Father, “Well, I guess we’ll leave you two. Sleep well together.”

“Pa what time tomorrow morning?” My Father turned, thinking about my question, and then turned to Ally. “Can I take him from you for a little while tomorrow? I promise he’ll be back by nightfall.”

“Of course you may Mr. Chase, although I will miss him.” He smiled at her, “Alright then Son, say eight a.m. I can handle the herd for the first couple of hours.” I looked up at him, “Thank you Pa.”

“Goodnight.”

********

Soon after we left the living room and I showed Ally the way to my bedroom. She threw herself onto the mattress, and then opened her arms wide for me as I lay down beside her. She then rolled on top of me and kissed me lightly, and then she just stared at me as I had done to her earlier in town. “I can’t wait to spend forever with you,” She said as she lay herself down on me, “Ever since I met you my life has been better. I want to be with you every day for the rest of my life Cole.” I wiped away a tear from her cheek, which was as red as a rose at its peak. “I know you do; you’ve shown me every day how much you love me. I wouldn’t marry anyone else but you Ally. I want to spend eternity with you.”

A few tears began to roll down her face. She looked so much like an angel to me. “Ally, you truly are someone God sent to my life and you are my greatest treasure and you will remain my greatest treasure for all of eternity.” Her eyes filled with tears as she lay her head on my shoulder, crying. I pulled the blankets over us. “Wait,” She said, “I have to get dressed for bed, and so do you.” I smiled at her, “As you wish, angel.”

Chapter Four

Morning Glory

I awoke the next morning early; around six – thirty a.m. Normally I would wake an hour and a half earlier than I had, but I had purposefully not woken as early due to the presence of my fiancé. She was still fast asleep in my arms, not even aware that I was awake. I needed to be in the field by eight o’clock. By that time, my father most likely will have pushed the herd towards the Canadian River bank for water, and then he would later push them across to graze. That is where he would need the most help. Sometimes, a gap in the rapids of the river would be only a few yards wide before it falls off into ten or so feet of water and keeping the cattle in line would be the hardest task off the day. It would be hard to leave Ally here during the day, I would miss her greatly. Watching her in my arms, she looked so much like an angel. Almighty God had truly blessed me with her. I glanced over my shoulder to check the time again. Seven a.m., time to get up. I tried to move my arm out from underneath her, but then with a little giggle, I felt her hand grip my arm. Her head turned and she was met by my eyes. “Hello beautiful,” I said with a smile. She looked at me for a moment, then said, “Awe come here you,” She leaned forward and kissed me, “Work hard Honey. I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back and until then, I’ll miss you.” I bent forward gave her a hug and a goodbye kiss, got dressed in my work cloths, and then went out into the kitchen. My Mother was there waiting for me. “Made you and your girl breakfast,” She said with a smile. “Thanks Ma, but she’s still in bed.” Then someone entered the room from the back hallway, my sixteen year old sister. “Morning big brother,” she said with a smile, “And for what reason are we skipping work on this fine morning?”

“Oh you know me Lindsey, always the lazy kind.” She laughed at me. “Hah! Boy, I don’t think there is one ounce of laziness in you.” My Mother then walked over to her, “Honey not so loud, Ally is sleeping.” I sat down at the dinner table to eat my breakfast and Lindsey looked at me. “Oh I’m sorry I didn’t know she was here. Is she in the guest bedroom?”

“No, she’s in my room. In fact, she is awake so why don’t you go ask her about last night and let her tell you a story.” She raised her eyebrows. “Ok, I have to hear this.” She then walked into the hallway that led to my bedroom as I finished up my breakfast. “Ma, do you believe I done the right thing,” I asked? She looked at me, “Do you?”

“Of course I do. Ma she means more to me than this ranch. You yourself told me one day, when I found someone who I loved more than I do this ranch, that girl will be the one. Well Ma, this girl means much more to me than this ranch. Yes I love the ranch, but I love her ten times more than the ranch.” My Mother just stared at me with a small smile. “Why, Cole, do you think you love her so much?”

“I can tell you why I do. Because when I’m with her, I feel like I am one with her and when I’m away from her I feel like I’m not whole.” She just laughed at me. “Cole, that statement right there will prove to anyone why you two should be together.” I smiled at her, and then looked at the clock which read seven – thirty. “Well I had better go. Pa’s going to need help getting the herd across the Canadian.” It was then that my sister came running out of the hallway, into the kitchen and threw herself around me. “I knew ya’ll would! I knew it! I knew it! And believe me Cole, she loves you.” I looked towards the hallway, “I know she does Linds, now hug me good bye I got to go to work.” I walked out the door and towards the stables to fetch my horse, finding him already saddled. Most likely this was a work of mercy by my father. I jumped on Red and galloped out towards the Oakley River.

********

I came over the hilltops, out to the edge of the flats and took a moment to take in the beauty. My father always told me, ‘Son, when the land gives you a beauty shot, take it.’ I have learned many times over the years that the land is not your friend, nor your enemy. My father once fell off his horse near a shallow ditch, with a stampede of horses coming at him. With little time to spare, he threw himself in the ditch avoiding the stampede. That was a time when the land acted as his friend. I won’t tell you of how bad the land has been to us. Sometimes it’s just a minor issue like coyotes getting to the herd over night or a horse getting bit by a rattlesnake, but other times it can be as bad as half the herd being lost. Still, as I stared out over this land, it meant something to me. Not like Ally did. Ally meant the world and much more to me. This land, however, was my land, and I loved it. I came down into the plains and in sight of the river. It was then that I saw my father and the herd. He was almost to the river as I galloped down to his side. “How they coming,” I asked?

“Oh just fine, had to round up a few steers before though. They got loose last night. How was your night Son?” I just smiled at him for a second then replied, “She’s amazing Pa, that’s all I’m going to say.” He chuckled. I’m sure he had an idea of how I felt, but I’m sure nobody knows exactly how I feel about her. “Well I know she is Cole, I see it in her every day. Tell me how she is that way to you, Son.” I stared at him with passion, and then said “Pa, when I’m with her, I feel like I am complete. She is my other half, and without her I am nothing. When I am with her, there is so much joy in her an’ it fills me up.” A steer jumped out of the line of cattle, and I took my whip. “Hah!” I swung my whip at the steer, forcing him back in the herd. My father chuckled. “Well it’s good to see you can still think about her an’ get the job done right.” I smiled at him, and then raised my hand to itch my goatee. “Where you want to push ‘em to,” I asked?

“I figure we’ll move ‘em over this ridge then by that time it will be time for head back to the house for supper,” My father explained, “Plus there is plenty of lush green grass up there that they can graze on during the evening. Sound good to you?”

“We’ll go where you think is best, Boss.”

“Well Hell, a man’s got a right to an opinion don’t he? Can you name a better place for ‘em?” I thought about it for a second, thinking of our options. “Nope, seems alright, only thing is I wouldn’t keep ‘em that far from water. My only other suggestion would be to move ‘em down river to the flats, that way they have plenty of water an’ food.”

“I’ve been down there. Ever since that damn flood that place has been a mud pit; almost got myself stuck in that God forsaken place yesterday.” He was right. Ever since the Oakley had flooded a two weeks ago any piece of land within fifty yards of the river was choked full of mud, except for the rocky banks where we crossed the cattle, but even this was dangerous. If one cow were to slip, it would take half the herd with it and would be at the mercy of the Canadian River, which is rarely a merciful body of water. “Well Pa I guess were going over that ridge,” I said as I pointed to the ridge above the river. He laughed at the statement ending with a sarcastic expression of grief, “Damn right we are.”

“Hah! Hah!”

In one movement, the herd plunged into the river, charging through the current and cool water. The first few steers began to exit the river on the opposite side of the river when my father yelled to me across the herd, “Keep them moving! Once they’re on that slope do not let them stop!”

With a crack of my rope, the cows began to charge up the ridge with my father bringing up the rear. Stumbling everywhere, they forged of like one mass together. Again I hit the lead steer with my rope to keep him going, and he charged up the last bit of the ridge. I galloped over the top at good speed with the lead steers and the rest of the herd close behind. Then, as I got over the top, I saw three riders in the distance.

CHAPTER FIVE

A NEW PLACE CALLED HOME

Ally soon arose out of the bed and walked out to the house kitchen, finding my mother who was cleaning dishes. “Morning Mrs. Chase, how are you,” she greeted her new mother in law. My mother looked back at her then ran over to her and embraced her. “Morning sweetie, how was your night!? I hope Cole didn’t snore too much.” Ally began to laugh at this remark, “No ma’am, he didn’t, or at least I didn’t notice,” she said with a smile, “I was sound asleep in his arms.”

My mother just smiled at her, and then a tear fell from her eye. “Is everythin’ all right Mrs. Chase,” Ally asked, her smile fading. “Honey, these are tears of joy falling here. When I see the two of you it’s so wonderful and I just can see it in your eyes and his. I spoke with him this morning.” Ally’s smile came back, “What about?”

“Well honey, about whom do you think?” Ally’s smile turned into a laugh, “Oh, me. What did he say?” My mother began to get up and walk towards the door, “C’mon, I’ll tell you while we move some of the furniture into your new home.” Ally followed her out to her horse, “Well, Mrs. Chase I might have to get dressed in some other cloths first. I don’t think bed time cloths are best for riding.”

“Oh of course. I’m sorry I had forgotten that you just woke up. Sure honey run along an’ change. I’ll saddle the horses.”

********

Ally came out of my room wearing a beautiful tan riding dress matched with a burnt orange shirt. “Wow, Ally you look great,” my mother complimented.

“Thank you. Cole bought it for me.”

“That was generous of him.” Ally smiled at her, “That’s how he always is with me.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is it about him that you love so much?” Ally pondered on this for a moment. There were many answers to this question, but she all of them led to the one she gave. “Mrs. Chase, when I am with him I feel like I am whole. He takes away any sadness I have at all just by standing beside me. When I feel like no one else cares, I know he does.” My mother again wiped a tear away from her cheek. “Well sweetie I can guarantee you he cares for you like he cares for no one else on this earth. He told me last night the exact same thing you told me. Ally I just want you to realize that no matter what your parents think, we are so glad to have to you in our family.”

“Thank you Mrs. Chase, now what do you want to move first?”

“I say we move the bed first, then other essentials because I know ya’ll don’t want to stay in our house for another few nights.” Both laughed at this. Ally then stared at her. These people had always been like family to her, and now they were. It was a dream comes true for her.

CHAPTER SIX

FRONTIER TROUBLE

My father approached me, staring into the distance at the riders. “Who are they,” he asked as I pulled the binoculars out of my saddlebag. “Don’t know ‘em,” I handed the eyeglasses to him, “you ever seen?” As my father got a better look at them, I took my .44 Colt Peacemaker from its holster and checked the loads. “Nope, never seen ‘em before, but I sure as hell seen their type. Just ride up slowly, ask what they want. If they want trouble, they can have it.” I glanced at him, then the figures in the distance as we rode towards them. I didn’t want to take my rifle from its sheath, just in case they took that as a hostile gesture and started shooting. For the second time, all I had was my Peacemaker. As we walked up to them I could see they were not men of high class, just cow punchers like us stuck in the wrong territory. “Howdy,” my father greeted them. The center man turned his head from the cows to us. “Mornin’ Gentlemen,” he said lightly, “You boys headed somewhere with all ‘em cattle?”

“Just looking for more grass; this is our ranch,” my father explained. The leftmost man leaned on his saddle horn, staring at us. “Is it now,” he said with a mean weathered look on his face. The two six shooters he wore looked just as haunted. Obviously this man was not one for the faint of heart. Then, the centermost man began to dismount. “Well, it was your ranch,” he said with a grin, “according to our guns, those cattle now belong to us. So if you’d be so kind an’ step aside we’ll take it from here.” I noticed the leftmost one had his hands on his guns; as did the rightmost, who looked to be an Indian. As the dismounted man attempted to step between our horses, I dismounted and he stepped back. “Sorry mister, those cows are all we got. So I’m afraid I can’t let you pass.” He gave me a smirk, and the other two men stepped down from their horses. My father took his shotgun from its sheath and laid it across his saddle. The man wearing two guns spoke first. “Well, looks like we got some brave ones. Or is it that you just stupid, huh boy?” He was staring at me. “Get the hell off our land.” My statement was harsh, but somehow brought a smile to their faces. “Say we don’t. Say we stay right here. What would you do then boy,” asked the two guns?

“Because if you don’t,” I said looking at him, “You go first, and then the Indian while Pa can take that son of a bitch in the middle there.” They didn’t like my insults. For a moment they just sat there as I waited for one to move. Then, I saw the two guns slap his thighs. My gun came up quick and put a shot through his chest before he could raise his guns, and then true to my word I shot the Indian through the head. That’s when my father’s shotgun fired into the centermost man’s chest. All fell except for the two gun man, who was still standing. He wasn’t gone yet, but not far from it. I just stood there looking at him, and he at me. I had my gun dead on him at first, and then I slid it back into my holster. He stared at the gun, then at his in his own hands. With one last effort he raised his hands, and I killed him. My gun came out of the holster like a spring and before he could move his guns another inch; my shot collided with his forehead. My father was staring at me, in disbelief. “Son, when was it you became that fast?”

“Years of practice Pa.” He stared at me, shaking his head. “Son, with a draw like that, even some of the better gunmen would be afraid to face you. Hell you might even give Jesse James the shakes.”

“Well let’s just hope I don’t face him any time soon.” He agreed. As the day wore on we drove the herd further onto the flat, finally bedding them down about four hundred yards from the ridge. They would stay up there until we came to get them a few days later. As we rode back home, we passed the dead bodies of the cattle thieves. After I killed the boy in town only a year ago, which seemed like ten, I never thought I’d kill another man.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE SECOND NIGHT

When we pulled up to the ranch house, Ally was there waiting for me like she said she would. The sun had already set below the horizon and darkness was fast approaching. As I dismounted she came running towards me and embraced me, holding me with a firm grip. “We heard the shots, Cole. I was so scared when it got dark an’ you weren’t here.” I stroked her hair as she laid her head on my chest, and then replied, “I’m here now Ally, and I will be every night.” She looked up at me with her hazel eyes, then I saw a tear form and I wiped it away. “I love you Cole.” I stared at her, a smile on my face. “I love you Ally.” She couldn’t hold it any longer. No later than those words left my mouth she burst into tears, and my shirt soon became drenched with them. My father looked on with my mother. Soon my sister came out as well. I just stood there with Ally still crying on my chest. How I had longed for this each day since the moment I had met her. This was my heaven, and it all started on a dusty sidewalk.

********

She stood there in the sunlight, leaning against a lamppost outside the jailhouse. I stared at her from between my horses ears and could not get enough of how beautiful she was. Who she was I did not know, nor did I know how to approach her. I was seventeen, at the time. I rode up to her and dismounted, trying to keep my eyes off her for one moment. As I walked up to her, she noticed my .38 Remington, the gun I had at the time, in its holster. “Now why would a boy like you need one of those,” she asked curiously. I looked down at my gun then at her, “A cattleman must always be on his guard ma’am. I’ve carried a gun since I was twelve,” I replied, stopping at the post next to her. She grinned at me. “Have you ever shot anyone mister…”

“Chase, Cole Chase is my name. And yours is?” She shot out her hand at me, and for one second I thought she was going for a gun. “Allison Kittler, pleasure to meet you Mr. Chase. So have you ever shot someone?”

“No ma’am, but I have been shot at a few times.”

“Oh...” Just then a man appeared from the threshold of the jailhouse. He wore a black suit and a star on his chest, along with a gun on his hip. He looked at me for a moment, studying my apparel. “Rancher are you,” he asked me with a stern voice.

“Yes sir.” He too offered his hand. “Marshal Kittler and you are?”

“Cole Chase.” His eyes wandered from my clothing to my Peacemaker snug in its holster, the thong still in place. “It is a fine choice for a gun; in my opinion, it’s Remington’s best model.”

“Yes sir it has been a fine gun for me over the years. I purchased it in January of ‘84.”

“I’ve heard you ranchers are pretty good over there. What do you say we have ourselves a little test?” He reached behind the threshold and grabbed an empty soup can. “When this bottle hits the street, draw and fire.”

I removed the thong from my gun’s hammer, and nodded to him. The can flew out of his hand and I watched it sail towards the ground. My gun came out of its holster just as the can hit the ground and my bullet sent it right back up into the air. I looked at him, his face was in awe. “Where’d you learn to shoot like that son?”

“Well marshal, when you’re a cattleman it pays to be good with a gun. I’ve had my fair share of practice on trees.” He chuckled for a moment. “Well, don’t go causing trouble now.”

********

Ally’s head came off my chest as she stared into my eyes, “Cole I want to go home, please take me home.” I looked at her strangely, “Ok, I’ll saddle your horse and we’ll ride into town.” She was still crying, still showing her full emotions, and then she said, “No Cole, I want to go to our home. Please take me to our home.” Her face began to blush as I wiped yet another tear from her face. “Can you do that for me Cole, please? Can you take me there?” I just stood there smiling at her in my arms. “Of course angel, of course I will.” She then pulled me closer, how I don’t know, and said, “I’ll be waiting for my chariot.”

She then let me go and I began to saddle her horse. “Sunset can stay here,” she said with a smile.

“Then who are you going to ride?” With this remark she looked at me with an awkward face, and then nodded towards my horse; who was already saddled. She ran past me and jumped on the saddle then motioned for me to climb aboard. She moved out of the saddle as I climbed into it, waving at my family as I rode off towards the prairie house. The house was about four miles further onto the flats than my parent’s house was, making it an easy ride through the sage bushes and yucca plants. Her arms wrapped around me as Red galloped across the plains. A deer spooked from its bed when we passed it, along with a band of javelinas during their night time hunt. As we came over Heaven’s hill, I could see the light of the prairie house, our house.

I slowed Red to a stop as we pulled into the stables, and after I put Red up, Ally and I ran into the house. She began to show me all the things she had put up that day, and it was beautiful. “And finally, here is the bedroom,” She said with a smile. She opened the door and I saw my bed there against the wall, along with an old wagon wheel on the opposite wall I had kept for decorations. There was a cross above the bed on the wall along with a sign that read ‘May God forever bless our home’ and below was an engraving that read ‘Cole and Ally Chase’. Outlining our names was a heart, showing the love we had for each other. I looked at her, “I don’t remember having this in my room, where did you get this from?” She laughed at me, “I made it of course. I wanted something to show all who come into this house that I love you.” She fell into my arms when she said this and I laid her on the bed, and I fell with her. We lay there for a moment, staring at each other, and then she said, “I have to tell my parents tomorrow, will you come with me? We’ll go early and I want to eat lunch with them? Can we do that?” This was the only moment that I would dread in my marriage, telling her parents. I had asked her mother before if I could marry her and she had said yes, however when I confronted her father he gave me a simple answer, and that was no. Ally knew he would say no, but she didn’t care. Life would go on, but not without her. It couldn’t. Even though tomorrow would most likely be ugly, there was no hesitation in my answer, “Of course we can Ally.” She smiled at me, and then it faded. “Cole, what if he decides to fight you? You know he’s the kind of man who would do that.”

“I know Ally, I know. But I won’t let you go in there alone. I will always stand by your side, whether your father is behind us or against us.” Her smile came back, as well as mine. “Thank you,” She said, “Now can you come to bed with me?” I lay down next to her, and as my head turned towards her she gave me her goodnight kiss.

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE TOWN OF SHALLOWATER

Ally and I rode into Shallowater at about ten o’clock the next morning, much later than we had expected to ride into town. It was a cold morning and the town was peaceful and people were making their morning rounds. However, when I rode into town, everyone seemed to stop and stare. Only a few people wore guns, and all of those few kept their hands clear of their firearms. My chaps were dusty from the ride, a clear sign of who I was to the townsmen. One man went into his house and came back out with a Winchester. My blazer opened to reveal my Peacemaker in its holster with my hand on it, like a coiled snake ready to strike. He knew this as well, so he put down his rifle and raised his hands as a sign that he wanted no trouble. Then I saw Marshal Kittler. He watched Ally come down the street with me and as we hitched our horses he said, “What’s he doing her Ally? I thought I told you that you were no to be with this animal!”

Ally looked at me, then at him, “Father, I would appreciate that you didn’t call my husband an animal again.” His face lit up. For a second I actually thought he would go for his gun, but as Mrs. Kittler came out she walked down the steps and hugged Ally in the middle of his shot path. “How are you dear? And you Cole have you been well?” I took my eyes off the marshal just long enough to answer her question, “Yes ma’am I have been very well, and you?”

“Good, I have been good.” Ally then whispered something in her ear and she looked at me with a smile. “I knew you two would, congratulations.” Marshal Kittler looked disgusted, “Mary and Ally go inside. I want a word with Cole for a minute.” Ally’s smile faded. This was the moment she had been dreading, the chance that I might be killed by her own father. “Ok father, we will leave you.” She looked at me, and I could tell she was scared. I gave her a reassuring look but I don’t believe it did very good. The marshal shut the door behind them, and then turned to me, “What in the hell were you thinkin’. I thought I told you to stay away from her.” I looked at him, trying not to be too harsh or too soft. “Marshal, I love your daughter like no one else ever will and-,”

“You shot that boy down in cold blood, in the middle of the street!”

“In self defense Marshal. Was I supposed to let him shoot me down?”

“I would have much preferred it! I also heard about what happened yesterday. What did you just see three riders coming so you and your Pa just decided to have some target practice?” I looked at him, again trying not to show emotion. “Again Marshal, it was self defense.”

“Like hell it was! Damn it Cole do you think I’m an idiot? I’ve watched you kill an innocent man once, so why would you do it again?!” I had enough. I couldn’t stand this man anymore. “Marshal, Ally and I love each other. We will be getting married in the church when we schedule a date. Please just give me a chance. I have to buy some feed up at the store, I will be back soon.” I began to walk down the street, gambling on whether he would decide to shoot me in the back or not. I got my answer. “Cole!” He had stepped out into the street with his blazer open, his pistol ready to go. I turned towards him, “I don’t want to do this Marshal, and I won’t do it.”

“Cole you are a liar and a thieving man who has decided to take my daughter away from me because of lust and want! I won’t have you marry her or will ever allow you to see her again! If you have any objections to that, I suggest you draw your gun and let’s get this over with.” Everyone around town seemed to stop and stare at us as they made almost a circular shape around us. A man on the sidewalk worked the lever of his rifle, aiming it at me. “Don’t worry Marshal, we’ll back you up.” A few more also aimed their rifles at me. My gun was still concealed by my blazer, and it would stay that way. Just then the jailhouse door opened, and Ally came running out in front of me. The Marshal kept his hand on his gun. “Ally get out of the way, I don’t want this bullet catching you as well.”

“Father! I love him, and he loves me! Can’t you see that? I don’t know what I would do without him!” It took the fire out of the marshal, but he still had plenty of hatred. “Ally, I don’t care! Now move!” I put my arms around her waist and she laid her head back onto my chest. “Get your hands off her!” Ally stared at him for a moment, and then said, “No Father, I like them there.” He was furious, and a furious man with a gun is not a safe man. “Ally,” I said, “If he draws his gun, run like hell to your left. I don’t want you getting hurt along with me.” She turned around facing me and kissed me. There in the middle of the street for all to see, she kissed me. When she let go, she spoke, “Never will I leave you angel.” I smiled at her, but it soon faded when I could see her father had his gun up. “Cole, you do that again and I’ll kill you. Do it again, just try it.” Ally turned back towards him, still in my arms. “Father, what is wrong with you?! Cole is an honorable man. He did what he had to stay alive. Can’t you see that?” It was then I saw what I thought was a miracle. Marshal Kittler actually lowered his gun. My miracle was shattered when I heard someone jack the lever of a rifle behind us. “Let your hostage go Chase, its over.” It was Jim Harlot, father of the boy who I had shot a year before. “You have a gun on me Jim?”

“I’d be a fool if I didn’t.” At this point I didn’t care about my own life. I had angry guns on me from almost every direction and there was no way out. What I feared for now was the life of Ally. If she was to get killed by some chance and I didn’t, I would never forgive my self. “Ally, step out of the street. Their going to kill me anyway, but if you were to get killed I would never be able to live with myself, even in heaven. Please Ally.” She turned to me, “I won’t leave you Cole. Never will I leave you. Honey, for all these years you have protected me, now it’s my turn. I’m your only protection from them.” She was right; she was my only defense against these men. Still I couldn’t get her killed. “Please-.” She stopped me. “Cole, I won’t leave you.” I could see it in her eyes she was here to stay, so I didn’t fight it. “Alright Ally, but if it comes down to it, I won’t shoot your father.” I watched as a tear fell from her eye. She then turned around in my arms, “Everyone here, I love Cole Chase. All of you know that. If you try to shoot him, your bullets will strike me too. Would you want that? Please just give him a chance.” Just then a gun clicked behind my ear. “Ally, come with me. This gun is pointed at you not him.” She looked at me, and I nodded. She left my arms reluctantly as Jim pulled her away from me, and then my hand pulled back my blazer and touched my Peacemaker. Jim led her in front of me, towards her father. His rifle was dead on her head. His hand then found her breasts and for a moment I watched him enjoy himself. I began to walk towards him. “Jim,” His head turned and my gun came out of its holster like a spring. The bullet struck him in the head, and he toppled backwards, “No one treats my Ally like that.” My gun then turned to a man with a rifle standing next to the fallen Jim Harlot. “Ally run! Get behind me,” I shouted over the war that was ahead of me. I emptied my Peacemaker at them and three men fell. I picked up the rifle of Jim Harlot and fired down the street. Ally finally made it behind me. This wasn’t about my life anymore. This was about her. If she died I had nothing to fight for. I began to back up with her into an ally, firing at the only two fighters left in the street. As we hide in the ally, I reloaded my Peacemaker and she watched me. She began to cry again, “Ally are you okay?”

“I’m ok. I’m just very scared.” I finished reloading and then dropped my gun back in the holster. I then brought her into my arms. “I won’t let anything ever hurt you; never will anyone hurt you like that again.” She just stared at me, “Cole. I was afraid you were going to die, not me. I love you too much to watch them gun you down.” I was stunned. When I came to her I thought she would shove me away, now seeing what I was. “What about all of that? I killed four men there.” Another tear ran down her face, then another. “Cole, I know that is not you. I know who you are. You are my husband now. And you were fighting for me, for your wife. That man would have raped me, you knew that, and my father would have just watched him. Cole, I said I wouldn’t leave and I never will. You are mine, and I am yours.” A smile came back to her face as she hugged me closer, and I smiled back. “Stay here,” I told her as I began to walk out in the street, “I’m going to resolve this.”

“Just be careful.” As I walked into the street I saw the Marshal standing there with a gun on me, while mine sat in its holster. “You nasty son of a bitch, where is she!” I motioned towards the ally, “Behind that wall; where she can’t get hurt, again.” He stared at me with hate and anger. He had watched a man nearly start to rape his daughter and he didn’t have the nerve to shoot him, while I did. I looked down at Jim Harlot, his head covered in blood. “So what Marshal, were you just going to sit there an’ watch this man right here rape your only daughter? Well I wasn’t. Now, this town is a good supplier to my ranch and I actually liked this town. But know this; if anyone EVER moves touches or even looks at her like he did again, you’d best tell them to ride like hell. Otherwise, I’ll come back and kill him on the spot. Shot through the head just like Jim was!” It got him scared. I could see it in his eyes. I didn’t know if he thought I was going to kill him or if he just was moved by my words. His gun was still up, but I didn’t see him firing. I walked over to my horse, took the reins of Ally’s horse, and began to ride towards Ally’s hiding spot. “Where are you going, you’re under arrest for the murder of these four men.” I turned my horse and looked at him. Ally then came from her hiding spot and mounted her horse.

“Father, if he’s under arrest, what about the two men you have standing next to you? Shouldn’t they be arrested for attempted murder of Cole? And you; what about you Father? If I remember correctly you too fired at Cole when he was defending himself and me. What if Cole had let Mr. Harlot live? Would you have arrested him for rape? Would you?” He stared at her with the same hate he had for me, “Ally get down off that horse and get inside the house. You won’t marry him, not today and never on any day.” Ally rode up to him, staring at him the whole way. He looked at me, and I took my rifle out of its sheath. Ally then said, “Father, I am your daughter and I love you. But you are not my household anymore.” As much as I resisted, I had to make a smirk at this remark. It was the first time I had seen Ally stand up for herself to her father. Her mother then came out of the jailhouse, “What the devil happened!? Cole?”

“Mr. Kittler, would you like to answer that?” He turned to his wife with his head hung low. For once in his life, he had been beat. He had nothing else to say but the truth. So he told her. I watched Mrs. Kittler as she was stunned to hear what he had to say about the situation. He told her how he had challenged me and Ally had defended me; then explained to her that I had shot Jim Harlot and three other townsmen while defending Ally. Soon, the entire town was out here to hear his speech, but their eyes were not on him. They all watched me with my rifle across the saddle. Surely they had all heard my threat that if any man harmed Ally I would kill him, and they were taking every precaution not to do that. “As much as I hate to say it,” said the Marshal in his closing sentence, “Our daughter is alive because of Cole, not me. He was the one to react first to Jim Harlot takin’ Ally by force and violating her.” He turned to Ally and me. “Ally, the only reason you are alive is because of the man next to you. I hope you know that,” He then focused his effort on me, “Cole, I still do not approve of what you have done. However you have proven one thing to me, and that is you care for my daughter; enough to sacrifice your own life for hers. I can’t say I will be a proud father in law, but I will be one won’t I.” I could see Ally was filled with joy, so much she had to force herself for jumping off the saddle and onto mine. I just lay me head down on the saddle, thanking God for what He had done. Ally jumped off her saddle, ran over to her father and leapt onto him. “Thank you father,” she said, “I can’t and never will be able to thank you enough.”

“Just take care of yourself.” She couldn’t answer despite her choking back tears. I rode up next to them and extended my hand to him, “Mr. Kittler, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I will take care of your daughter.” He looked at my hand, and then said, “You better,” then he took my hand shake. “I have to get back to the ranch Ally; I’ll be back before long though.”

“Ok Honey, I’ll miss you.” I leaned down and kissed her, then rode off into the plains.

CHAPTER NINE

THE EULOGY

Have you ever felt like the world was as sweet as can be? Like all your worries were gone for that moment? That was me at this moment. I felt like nothing else could go wrong in my life. I had the girl of my dreams, the approval of her parents and a ranch, on which we would spend forever with each other. What else could I ask for? I thought about this as I rode up to my parents house and hitched up my horse to the post, running inside to tell them the wonderful news. Only I wasn’t met by what I was sure I would find. My parents were there, in a pool of their own blood. I examined the bodies in horror as I knelt down beside them. My father had been shot twice through the back, ripping holes through his chest. Then the shooter had turned him over and shot him from point blank in the head, leaving powder burns around the wound. My mother, lying next to my father, had been shot through the head at point blank and stabbed in the back. I just knelt over them, stunned at the work of the devil. Then someone spoke behind me, “Cole?” I would know the voice anywhere. It was my sister Lindsey. I spun around just in time to catch her as she fell into my arms. She had been beaten and shot through the arm once. “Cole, I think I am going to die,” she told me softly. She was in no shape to die, but never the less she wasn’t in perfect shape either. “You need a doctor, Linds, are you okay though? What happened?” So she told me. They, three men, had come in through the back and began to shoot through the windows at the family. “One bullet caught Pa in the back as he was trying to hide me,” she explained, fighting back tears and horror as I held her tight, “Then I heard Mother scream in the kitchen and another shot. Pa kept fighting but they were too much. They shot him again in the back, then turned him over and finished him with his pistol.” I was trying to hold back my tears as she told me of the horrifying events that took place. Showing emotions would only set a bad example for Lindsey. “Cole what are we going to do?” I thought for a moment. The ranch was now deeded to me and the cows needed tending to so there was only one thing to do. “Well Linds, the only thing we can do is to go back to life the way it was. Whoever did it is long gone now and we don’t have anyway of tracking them with all the hoof prints around this place. We’ll let the Marshal deal with this.”

“He won’t help us and you know it. Cole don’t bull shit with me.”

“I meant a Federal Marshal. I’ll send a telegram in a day or two. Besides, Ma and Pa wouldn’t want us hunting their killers. They always said to forgive.” Just then I heard horses outside, two of them. I walked out onto the porch and instantly Ally and her father could tell something was wrong. “Cole, you okay?” she began to walk into the house as I knelt down on the patio. “Don’t go in there Honey.”

“Why not?”

I looked up at her and a tear began to run down my face. “They are dead. Ma and Pa are dead. Someone shot them.” I could see she was stunned. She threw her hands over her mouth and walked over to me and embraced me. “Cole, I am so sorry. I don’t know what to do.” I sat there in her arms, and she in mine, and then I looked up at the Marshal. He nodded to me, “I’ll do what I can.” He then rode off towards town. Ally then looked at me. “What are you going to do? I won’t blame you if you want to hunt them down.”

“I want to Ally, but I’ve killed enough in my time. I’m going to wire for a Federal marshal soon and I’ll let him take care of it. I couldn’t kill again, not while I have you.” Her head rested on my chest, “I’m so sorry angel,” her words sounded so sweet, and I needed them in this time of despair. “Lets go home Ally, I need to grab things for a burial.”

“I’ll help,” she said.

********

As we, Ally and I, rode the bodies up to Heaven’s hill I thought about the most glorious times I had with my parents on this earth. It was just so hard to believe that they were gone. I had just talked to them this morning, and now they were not here any more. Before we laid the bodies in the graves, I prayed with Ally, asking forgiveness of what I had done, and thanksgiving for Ally. “Without her Lord, I am not whole. I told this to my father the night I proposed to her, I told him without her I am only half of me. Lord, she is my better half and until I am with her every night after a hard days work, I am not a whole man.” Her hand found mine as I thought of this prayer, and it felt like my second and better half had found me. We then laid the bodies in the graves, side by side like they would have wanted it. When we were done we prayed again, “I’ve tried so hard to tell myself that Cole’s parents are gone, Lord,” Ally prayed, “It will never be the same without them in this world. Today, we truly lost two of the sweetest people in this world I believe. I am thankful though that you have left Cole here for me. Without him God, I am nothing and always will be nothing until he gets home every night. I promise to be here for him as long as I live. When he cries I will wipe away his tears and when he needs me to hold him tight, I will tighter and will not let go until he is alright again. I love him Lord, and I will for eternity.” The eulogy was not exactly about my parents, but I believe it is what they would have wanted. It was their dream to watch me marry a girl I truly loved and that is what I had here.

Before leaving I staked two crosses into the graves with a sign between them that read:

FRANK AND MARY CHASE

1840-1889

1843-1889

SILENCED BY GUNMEN

LOVING HUSBEND, WIFE, FATHER, MOTHER AND FRIEND TO ALL

As we rode away, I looked back and knew I would miss them.

CHAPTER TEN

UNEXPECTED FINDS

A week passed and life went back to normal. Ally and I had finished moving furniture into the prairie house and she loved her new home. She awoke with me beside her every day and she said that was the best part of her day. I loved living with her just as much as she did with me. I hated leaving her in that bed every morning but the cattle weren’t going to find grass for themselves. Ally always told me every morning with a smile as I was getting dressed and she was in bed, “I’ll be right here waiting for you Cole Chase. Five o’clock sharp and don’t be late.” I never was. If someone were to visit my house that day, it would have been hard for them to tell my parents had died just a week before. It still haunted me every now and then but I wasn’t going to let that hold me down. Lindsey had taken a train to Nevada to live with my aunt and uncle. She couldn’t bear to live in the same house or even near where her parents were murdered. That is why she did not live with Ally and me. She said she would send a telegram every week to let us know how she was doing. Marshal Kittler had not been able to find any evidence on the killings so there was no point to calling the Federal marshal. Lindsey had not been able to give us a good enough description of the murderers to match it to anyone. All she had said is that all of them were tall and lean men, and very strong. This matched my description, but I couldn’t have been in two places at one time. Ally and I remained strong as a couple, still possessing that fiery passion for each other. We had never had an argument in our lives and I did not see one coming along any time soon. As for Marshal Kittler; he still had a small amount of hate in him about me, but there was another side I had not seen in a while. Ally and I were married on that Sunday after the killing of my parents and it had been the most emotional day of my life. I was torn between feeling sorrow for my parents and love for Ally. I soon decided that grieving over the thought of what happened to them would do us no good, so each night Ally and I stuck them in our bed time prayer. We would ask God to welcome them into his kingdom and wish them a safe journey together through Heaven. On this morning everything started as usual, except today was special. I had a surprise for Ally, and that was I was going to stay home all day with her. No work for both of us, just time together. I had moved the herd onto the flats where there was enough grass for a few days so the cows did not need to be tended to and I had woken up early and prepared breakfast for her. When I had finished, I went into the bedroom. She looked so much like an angel, lying there in the bed with her arms around the pillow. I laid my hand on her shoulder and shook her lightly and she awoke. “Hey there,” I said as I kissed her forehead. “Hey Honey,” she replied while stretching her arms over me, “Aren’t you going to the cows?” I smiled at her. “Come on, I got somethin’ to show you.” I lead her out into the kitchen and she then noticed the biscuits sausage eggs and fresh coffee on the table. “What’s this?”

“The start of the great, fun day you have ahead of you.” For a moment she was confused, at least it looked like it. “What do you mean, I have to clean the kitchen and I have to wash the horses? I can’t Cole I’m sorry.” I chuckled for a moment, and then replied to her, “Does the kitchen look clean to you?” It then occurred to her that the kitchen was clean. She then ran out to the stables and looked at the horses. They had been groomed and cleaned right down to the shoe. She ran back in and jumped into my arms, “Cole thank you so much. Thank you, but what about the cows?”

“I was riding out by Virgin flats and I noticed that they were green as can be so I put them there. They’ll be fine for a few days.” She still had that beautiful smile on her face, and then she asked me. “So what is today?”

“Well Honey, I thought that maybe today could be our day together. Our day alone or not you choose.” She was elated; I could see it in her eyes. Right now, she looked like a child who had just been given the Christmas present of her dreams. She then kissed me, and said, “Alone, I pick alone. Except for you of course.” I chuckled with her there in my arms for a moment, and then I swept her off her feet and asked, “Where shall we go Mrs. Chase.”

“I don’t know, maybe the breakfast table.” So I lead her to the breakfast table then began to set her down in her chair when she protested, “I want to sit like this, in your arms with you,” she said with a smile. So we sat and had breakfast, her there in my arms feeding herself and me like a baby with a spoon. We soon finished and I cleaned the dishes as she went somewhere in the house to prepare a surprise for me. As I stood there washing the dish, I looked up and wondered to God ‘How, or what did I ever do to deserve a girl like this?’ She was perfect in my mind, she was my world now. When I finished the dish Ally came out and lead me to the surprise she had waiting. Much to my surprise, it was our bed. “Ally, what is-,” and that’s when she tackled me onto the bed. We rolled around for a moment, throwing covers over each other and laughing together. This would be the happiest time in our lives, at least I thought. “Cole,” she said softly while we were beneath the covers, “Have you ever thought of us having children?” This was the first time she had asked me about little ones. I had thought about it in our future and was expecting her to ask me but the question caused more shock than I expected. “Well, I have thought about it. Have you?”

“I have,” she said with almost a passion, “And I think I want a few Cole. If that’s ok-,” I stopped her lips with my finger. “Of course it is Honey. I think little ones are great and a gift from God. Are you saying you want them now though?”

“Yes.” I smiled at her. “Well how do we start?” She giggled, and then pulled more covers over us.

********

I awoke beside Alli in the bed and I looked at her. She was sleeping there beside we with her head rested on my shoulder and my hand stroked her hair softly. I glanced at the clock, one o’clock in the afternoon. We had almost slept for three hours straight. I tried to get up without waking her, but that was out of the question due to her head being there on my shoulder. She awoke with a smile on her face as she sat up in the bed. “Hello Honey.”

“Hey you; Sleep well this afternoon?” She laughed at me for a moment, “For as much as I could yes.” She sat up in the bed next to me and lay her head on my shoulder, “So, did you have anything else planned in your day of fun?” I glanced at her with a grin and said, “You tell me, did I?” Beginning to laugh, she answered, “A ride does not sound bad to me, you?”

“Not at all,” I said as I got dressed, “I’ll saddle the horses. Are you hungry?”

“Starving, what about a picnic?”

“We could. Can you pack the lunch while I clean the horses up?” She grinned at me again, “Of course I can.” I leaned over her in the bed and kissed her forehead, “You know somethin’; you’re prettier than a bluebonnet at its peak.” She laughed at this remark, “I love you too Cole.”

********

In the kitchen I put on my chaps and my gun, with the thong still in place. Why I put it on I don’t know, I was not planning on using it as far as I knew. Maybe it was just my instinct for the country. The plains of Texas were like the Devil with a gun at sometimes and God with his beauty in others. It is a man’s job to be prepared for both out here, even if we didn’t want to be, especially when that man has a wife to protect. I walked out the kitchen door and towards the stables when I saw something that caught my eye. There was an extra horse at the hitching post, one that I did not recognize. I took the thong off the hammer of my gun, walking around the stables. There, in the corral stood a man. His hair was uncut and hung slightly higher than his shirt collar. He was a tall, lean man; just the kind of man Lindsey had described. Then, three more men appeared, all with guns. The long hair turned to me, “Hello Cole, been waitin’ to meet you.” His hands were crossed, far from the six shooters on his hips. “How can I help ya’ll,” I asked, trying to show no fear. He spoke again, “Oh yeah, how rude of me. My name is Rich, Rich Shelton that is.” When he stated his name, my heart sank to its lowest level. Rich Shelton had killed countless men in many different states. Not to mention that his teammates were all dead shots. They all mounted and rode over to me, and then Rich spoke again. “Where you headed Cole?”

“I’ll be stayin’ right here,” there was a bit oh harshness in my voice, and he didn’t like it one bit. “Well Cole, I beg to differ. You my friend will be comin’ with us, to town. Some business you need to attend to.” I looked up at him and I noticed that he was staring at my gun, snug in its holster. “Your business is not one I want part of Shelton; so you just ride off and leave me alone.” That was when Ally came out the door and in sight of Rich, and he caught sight of her. “Who are these men Cole,” she asked, “Friends of yours?” Rich was still staring at her with his lustful eyes, and I knew it. “They were just leaving Ally,” I said as she came to my side. Rich tipped his hat to her, “Ma’am, your husband and I have some business to attend to in town. Hope you don’t mind.” Ending his sentence, he grinned and Ally then knew he was not a friend. “As a matter of fact sir, I do mind.” His grin turned to a frown, and he motioned to one of his boys. The man unsheathed his rifle, aiming it at Ally as I stepped in front of her, my gun out of its holster. I looked at Rich, who again was smiling. “Cole, you will come with us. Otherwise, I’ll have Jerry here shoot you, then your wife.” Ally gasped, and my heart sank lower, “What do you want?”

“Come with us Cole. Best say your good byes first though.”

“First tell me what I will be doing.” He grinned at me again, and said, “Once we get to town, you will have an hour.” Ally began to cry as I took her in my arms, looking at Rich. His grin was once again on his face as Ally cried her eyes out on my shoulder. “Cole, you have two minutes then we come back to get you,” he said in a cold, killer voice. I looked at Ally, with waterfalls falling from her eyes. “They are going to kill you, aren’t they?” I looked at her. I wanted to say yes they will, but then I felt the hate in me for these men; the burn to keep going. “No Honey, they won’t. As long as I have you, I will survive.” A slight smile came to her face, and that is when I saw Rich coming to get me. “Wait here,” I told her, “If I’m not comin’ over that horizon by sunset, ride to your father. He will take care of you, but I will be back Ally. I promise you I will. I love you.” Her eyes filled with tears again as I let her go and mounted my horse, riding off with them towards the town. I looked back towards the house and watched Ally’s figure grow smaller and smaller. As our horses galloped across the hills, I soon began to see the town in the valley.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

GUNS OF A DYING SUN

We came in on the south side of town and stopped before entering. Rich turned to me, “Meet us in front of the saloon at five o’clock. That’s in one hour, be there or it will hurt a lot more than it has to.”

“On one condition Shelton before I kill you, tell me who hired you.” He just grinned at me and rode of towards the saloon, and I towards the marshal’s house. When I arrived I found Marshal Kittler himself standing there on the boardwalk. “Evening Cole, How’s Ally?”

“Can’t talk about her right now Marshal,” I said as I walked the steps, “Got bigger problems right now.” He gave me a weird look and I explained to him what had happened. I told him that Shelton and his boys planned to kill me and where they planned to do it. “But Marshal, I want to ask you to stay out of this one.” Again, he gave me a weird look as I explained further. “They have threatened to kill Ally if everything doesn’t go according to plan. I can’t take that chance, not with her.” I then told him that if I was to be killed, Ally was to come to his house. I could see that there was no emotion in him. He did not know whether to feel sadness that his daughter may not have a loving husband or hate for the men who were going to do this. “Alright Cole, I’ll stay out.” I began walk down the boardwalk. “Cole,” he said before I left, “Do you know his gang?”

“Yes sir I do, why?” He looked down at his gun, then at me. “Take Blackie first. He’s the fastest of the group. Rich is second. After that it don’t matter who you take next.” I nodded to him and thanked him; then again he spoke, “Good luck Cole.” I looked back, and again nodded to him.

********

Five o’clock drew near as I sat near the saloon, watching for any tricks. Once again, I checked the loads in my Peacemaker, making sure there was no error. Finally, I saw the gang line up in the street before the saloon. They stood there, looking for me. I slid my gun back in its holster as I walked slowly down the steps. Then they saw me. Rich looked at me with his cold eyes, his hand on his gun. My hand found my Peacemaker in its holster as I walked towards them. It seemed the townsmen knew something was going on and had cleared the street, taking refuge on the boardwalk. All eyes were on us. Then Rich spoke, “Your woman looked mighty good Cole. Wonder how she would do in the whore house?” His statement sparked a fire in me, and my hate for him fueled it. Marshal’s words ran through my head as I slowly walked towards them, hand on my holster. “Take Blackie first…” My eyes stared at Blackie, who was a dark haired Indian that Rich had most likely bribed into fighting for him. He looked to be as mean as a rattlesnake. I stared at him as I drew closer. “You Jerry?” I was now lookin’ at the man who had held the rifle on Ally and me.

“That’s right boy.” He was looking at me as I answered, “Good,” My gun came out of my holster and before anyone could react, Blackie’s dead body lay on the street. The sound of my shot echoed through the streets and everyone turned their attention to us. Wasting no time, I turned my gun on Rich who was still staring at Blackie’s body, stunned by the speed of my draw. My shot caught him in chest just left of the heart and he fell like a cut tree. My eyes turned to Jerry who had drawn is gun, and before he could shoot my lead struck his forehead. The last man had gotten his gun up, but not in time to avoid my fatal shot to his chest. Then I heard another shot, and felt the bullet singe my shoulder. Rich was up, and so was his gun. Another shot came from his gun, and it would be his last. My quick shot caught him in the chest mere inches from my first one, and he just stood there, held up by the shockwave left by my bullet. The sun just began to hit the horizon when I grabbed him by the shirt collar, thrusting him to the ground. “So which one of you did it huh,” I said as I sat down next to him, “Which one of you killed my parents?”

He looked at me with his half dead eyes, “What the hell….are you talkin’ about? I didn’t come here to kill your parents.” I just looked at him. I half wanted to kill him right there, but I knew that wouldn’t do me any good. “Then why are you here?”

“Why do you think? You killed a friend of mine. Name was Mike Morris, wore two guns. Ring a bell?” I knew the man, and I had killed him. It was the man who wore two guns back on the frontier. “Oh yea, I remember,” I told him, “The one who drew first. Now tell me Rich, if you didn’t have anything to do with my parent’s killings then who did?” He just stared. He said nothing with his mouth, but his eyes said hate and the urge to raise his gun. “Cole, I have no idea what the hell you…are,” he tried to finish his sentence, but before he could he coughed his last. Standing over his body, the townspeople began to come closer. I overheard their conversations, many of them. Some said self defense, then a woman I knew as Mrs. Alamode spoke. “Cole Chase! Why don’t you just leave this country?! Haven’t you killed enough men by now, or do you just thirst for another man’s blood each night?!” I was already mad, and her statement didn’t help. I faced her with hatred in my eyes. “And just what would you have done, Mrs. Alamode, if you were a man what would you have done if these men came to your house; threatened your wife with a gun, then told you that if you did not face them they would come back and kill both you and your wife?! What would you have done then Ma’am?!” Her face seemed to lighten up, and then grew dark again. “And how in the hell am I supposed to know that is true?! Shit, you’ve already shot up the Harlot kid and his father and four of the townsmen. Ole’ Miss Mary Harlot over there now has no one left because of you! Too bad she’s too old to put a slug in you.” It was then I saw a man pushing through the crowds and out in to the open with me. The Marshal stared at the dead bodies then turned to the crowd. “Many of you know that I despised Cole Chase, up until a few weeks ago. Cole showed me that he does care for my daughter and I respect that. I am telling you all right now; Cole did not come after these men for his own want. He was forced, forced to protect his wife.” Many people at that point were convinced that I was a killer, although the Marshal’s words did help my cause. A few people began to back away from the crowd as the undertaker began to pick up the bodies, while others stayed and watched as I mounted my horse and rode off into the sunset.

CHAPTER TWELVE

REUNION

The house came into sight as I came over the rolling hills. I could see the fireplace was lit, and there was smoke coming from the chimney. Then I saw what I was really looking for. Ally came running out of the house in what looked to be a nightgown and jumped on her horse. When she got to me she was all smiles as she jumped into my saddle. She was elated, a feeling not uncommon for her. This time, however, was different. All she did the entire ride back was hug me as tight as she could, crying on my shoulder. Then, as we neared the house she looked into my eyes. “I was so afraid Cole,” she said, “I was so afraid you were dead.” A smile came to my face, “Ally, as long as I have you here in my world, no bullet will bring me down.” She was still staring at me, and through her tears she said, “I know you won’t.” It was my Heaven all over again. Her there in my arms, the sun setting and the light of our own house there in the field all made me feel as good as I had felt before when I married her. She was my angel, an angel that had saved me from the fires of Hell. We arrived at the house and I brought her down from the horse, still in my arms. She held tight as I carried her to our room and lay her on the bed. She was tired, any man could see that. Taking off my gun I lay beside her, staring into her eyes and hers into mine. After a few seconds, I thrust my arms around her. “I was scared today Ally. I was scared that today I would never see you again.” Another tear fell from her hazel eyes and I wiped it away. “But, I am here to stay now. And I won’t let go, ever.” A tear of my own fell as I told her this. Wiping her hand across my face she told me, “Cole, I would like to go to Abernathy for a few days to see my sister. I’ll be gone just for a day or two and I’ll take the train. Is that ok?”

“Of course it is, but I will miss you.” She smiled, then her eyes shut and she was asleep.

********

We awoke the next morning just like any morning with the sun light no yet on horizon as I galloped out to the flats to check on the cows before I took Ally to the train station to go to Abernathy. I was expecting to round up a few steers that had gone astray from the main bunch but most of them should be making their way back towards the river. Much to my surprise when I came over the ridge and onto the flats, there were my cows. Every last one of them were there grazing on the lush green grass provided by the grass. Stunned, I just turned my horse back around and rode back to the house, where I found Ally waiting for me with her bags. “Has my carriage arrived,” she asked with that smile of beauty on her face? “Its right here,” I motioned for her to get into the wagon I had waiting in near the stables as I hitched Red up to it. As we started the two or so mile trek to town. As we entered the town I saw that the train was there and boarding. It was not long before Ally was ready to go with her bags. She faced me and said, “I’ll miss you.” I laughed at the statement and responded, “I’ll miss you too, but it’s only for a day or two and you’ll be glad to see your sister.”

“It’s still too long without you,” she said with a smile. I began to laugh as the train made its final call, and then her finger held my lips shut as she leaned forward and delivered her good bye kiss. “I love you,” she said, “I’ll see you in a day or two.” It was hard for me to let her go as she boarded the train, and I felt a tear drop from my eye. I would miss her, but it was only for a day or two. I watched her through the windows as I mounted my horse; riding up to the train and waving good bye as the train started down the tracks.

********

Turning my horse back around for the ranch, all I could think about was Ally. How her hair swayed in the wind, and the sun shining on her like she was an angel from Heaven. I passed Heaven’s hill and the thoughts of that night I proposed came back to me. Her there in my arms, with the amazement in her eyes as I revealed the pearl ring. It happened so quick but it was a moment I would forever cherish. Coming up to the house, I noticed that something stood out from the rest. There were two horses parked at the hitching post, none of which I knew. As I hitched my own horse to the post, two men came out of the house. One had a full beard and stood about my height of six feet. He held a rifle, while the other was a shorter fellow with two guns. My hand was on my holster. “Who are you and what do you want,” I demanded.

I figure we should be askin’ you that, mister. This is our ranch now.” I stood firm and tall, no more than ten feet from them. “By who’s authority do you have to take my ranch?” The man with a full beard jacked the lever on his rifle, “Our bosses authority, mister, now I suggest you ‘get.” I looked at him. I could beat the rifle any day, but I was unsure as to how fast the second man was the one with two guns. “Well boys, before you kill me, can you tell me who your boss might be.” The full beard man opened his mouth first and quick. “Sheriff Burton of Abernathy, Texas!” His partner looked at him harshly, “Damn it Riggs, we don’t want the girl to know!” As he turned back to face me, my bullet caught him in the chest as I lined the rifleman up in my sights. His rifle turned, but it wasn’t fast enough. My lead blasted through his chest and he fell with his co-worker. As he fell, a piece of paper fluttered from his hand. Catching it, I read

THE GIRL WILL ARRIVE IN ONE HOUR FROM DEPARTURE TIME. KILL HIM THEN GET BACK HERE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. WE CAN’T AFFORD TO HAVE COLE CHASE COMING DOWN ON US.

It had been almost two hours from the time Ally left town. That meant they had her, they had her. For a moment, I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Bewildered that again, once again someone had attempted to take Ally from me; and these men had succeeded. However many men Burton had I did not know, and if I was to fight him I most likely would have to fight his deputies as well. But when one person can’t live without the other, that person will go to extreme measures for the other. Walking into the house, I reached into a closet and found my second gun. It was also a Colt, but in the Navy .40 model instead of the Colt Peacemaker .44. The Navy was a smaller model than the Peacemaker, having a smaller cartridge and a five inch barrel rather than the Peacemaker’s six inches. Loading the Navy, I stuck it in my belt, readying myself for the worst. I then took my fathers shotgun from my horse and loaded it with fresh rounds, along with my Winchester. Finally, I ejected the two spent shells used for the ranch thieves from my Peacemaker and added fresh ones. This may very well be my last fight, but if I was dying so Ally could live I would be able to live with myself. I glanced at the clock on the house wall. Eight o’clock a.m., and it was approximately a five hour ride to Abernathy. During that time, I planned to pray. A lot.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ABERNATHY

God, I admit I have sinned through my own thoughts, actions and words, and I know I can’t change the past. Only power as great as yours can rewind the clock, and that is why I must ask your forgiveness for what I have done. For the men I have killed, I ask them to forgive me and for you to welcome them into your almighty kingdom, for they are sinners in need of a Savior as well. Finally Lord, I pray for Ally, that we may be able to get out of this mess alive and just be able to live out our lives with the same fire and passion we have for each other for the remainder of our lives.

Our father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.

Lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

As I galloped into Abernathy, the first thing I did was look for the livery. Here, I could find a place for my horse and maybe some information. As I rode up to the barn, a small man came down from the ladder. By the look of him, he was well into his forties with a full beard to show for it. His eyes went from my face to my Peacemaker in its holster. “Howdy mister what can I get for you,” his voice cracked as he asked the question. “Well mister, I need a place to keep my horse, if that isn’t too much trouble.”

“Oh not at all, I’ll just need a name and it will be three bits.” I paid him and he took the reins of my horse, and then I stopped him. Grabbing my Winchester from my saddle, he looked at me. “Expectin’ trouble,” he asked?

“Would you happen to know where the sheriff’s office is?” A small look of fear came to his face as he walked me out to the entrance and pointed to a small building sandwiched between two saloons. “There, good luck to you. The name’s Jason if there be anything else you’ll need.” I thanked him and began to walk towards the office. People began to notice my guns, however none cleared the streets or did anything to suspect there was a fight coming. Hopefully it would stay that way. Coming up to the jailhouse, I looked through the window and say who looked to be the sheriff and a deputy. Opening the door, the Sheriff turned and looked at me. Looking at me he scratched his white mustache, and from his looks I estimated he was about fifty. “Well what can I do for you Son?” It took him a little while to realize who I was due to the fact that I had kept my head down during entrance. I soon raised my head, revealing my face and the smirk on his face faded. “Well, I’ll be damned; if it isn’t Cole Chase,” extending his hand, he finished his offer, “What can I do for you?”

“Sheriff, all I want is her back. That’s all I want. Just let me have the girl and I’ll walk out of here without firing a shot.” His smile came back, usually not a good sign in a showdown. “Son, I don’t think you understand. The “girl” is not-”, he would have finished his sentence but it was cut short by the appearance of Ally from the jail cell. From the looks of it she had been beaten and hurt as I drew closer to her. “Cole, is that really you?” A tear fell from her eye as I responded, “Yes Honey, it’s me I’m here now and we are going to go home. What did they do to you?” She pointed to the Sheriff’s deputy, “Him, he beat me until I fainted.” The deputy, who looked to be about my height and build, got up and advanced towards us, “Why you lying-” I stood in his path. We were mere inches apart as I held the Winchester on him. “You take another step or say another word friend; I’ll shoot your heart out and watch you bleed to death right here right now,” He glanced back at the Sheriff, who motioned for him to sit down, “Now Sheriff, what was this you were sayin’ bout the girl.” He turned his head and for the first time I got a good glimpse of his face. Any man would have been able tell he was an evil man. “Well Son, what I was going to say is that the girl will not be comin out of that cell, at least for a while.”

“Would you mind telling me Sheriff why she’s in there?” His eyes strayed away from me for a moment, almost as if this mad man was going to reveal what he was hiding. Finally he said, “What difference does it make Mr. Chase? She’s here and that is that. Now I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” My anger was building, and it was standing on a thin line. “I asked you a question Sheriff.”

“And I answered it, now get out.” I walked up to his desk, my hand a ways from my gun. “Okay Sheriff, but tell me one thing. Why was it your men showed up on my doorstep this morning? The men I shot for trespassing and false ownership.” His mouth twisted and again he looked away from me. Then he began to laugh, as did the deputy. “Cole, you don’t get it do you. Well I have news, my men were not sent to take over the ranch. They were sent to finish an unfinished job.” An unfinished job it was. It then occurred to me that the men had not been there to take my ranch, but to finish the job they had started by killing the heart of my family. At first I had not even thought of hunting my parent’s killer, let alone him coming to me. He spoke again, “You see Cole, there are men who survive in this country and others that die. It’s survival of the fittest, and your parent’s were not fit for what they were doing. They were the first to go, and you will join them soon.” I just stared at him with all the hatred I had in me, and he stared back. “Now Chase, I’m going to ask you once more to leave this place or I’ll have my deputy shoot you where you stand.” I heard his rifle lever jack behind me, and I walked towards the door. I could see Ally through the doors of the jail cell, and I blew a kiss good bye.

********

As I walked out of the jail house I immediately went to the livery where I was met by Jason, the barn keeper. “How did it go Son?” I walked to my horse that was standing in one of the stables and took my shotgun from the saddle, which was sitting in the stable wall. Checking the shots, he just looked on. “Not well,” I told him, “He has my wife in there for no reason.” He shook his head, “The moment I saw you riding in I knew it had to be something like that. This kind of thing is not uncommon for this town.” I turned around, facing him. “What do you mean?”

“Sheriff Burton is a full fledged Sheriff, but he also runs this kind of business. He hunts people who have large spreads or great sums of money then picks their families apart until it’s just that man left. Most don’t figure out that its Burton commanding the whole thing.” Listening closely to him, I was astonished by what this man had done. How could man be so evil? I then flipped an extra three bits into his hands. “I appreciate your help a bunch. I’ll try to keep your livestock from being harmed.” He extended his hand. “Good Luck Son.” I began to walk away when I turned back, “When does next train arrive?”

“There’s always an afternoon train that leaves at a quarter to three. And it is now almost a quarter past two.” I thanked him and rode off down the street. Leaving my horse at the hitching post across the street for the jail house, I stood on the boardwalk checking the loads to my Peacemaker. Watching the jail close, I could see the Sheriff pacing back and fourth while talking to his deputy. Surely they were discussing my problem; after all I was supposed to be dead. Checking the loads to my Navy, I noticed a man walk out of the jail house. Low and be hold, it was the Sheriff, which left the deputy all alone to care for Ally. When the Sheriff was out of sight, I walked across the street, my gun hand on my Peacemaker with my shotgun in my left. Opening the door slowly, I saw the deputy at the jail cell window. He was whispering something, something which I could not hear. Then I heard Ally yell in agony, and that’s when he saw me. Both barrels caught him in the chest as he fell across his desk, dead as a stone. Dropping the shotgun, I ran to Ally. “Cole,” she said, “I thought you had left.” I just grinned at her has I found the keys and got her out. “How could I leave my better half.” I then heard the Sheriff’s voice coming from the street. “Go ahead Chase, just try to escape! I got twenty deputies all around town! Come on; make a game out of it!” I walked to the main door and peered out, but I soon retreated due to the bullets banging against the threshold. I sat down and taking out my guns to once again check the shells, I turned to Ally. “Ally, I’m going to tell you right here and now-,”

“I know the circumstances Cole, and yes I love you too,” she said with a smile, “I always will. Now what is your plan?” I pointed to the tracks at the end of town. “There’s a train arriving in thirty minutes. Our best chance is to board that train and get home. Just keep me between them and you, no matter what.” She looked at me for a moment and then said, “Let’s go out the back.”

Through the jail cells was a small back door that lead to an ally way. Carefully opening the door, my Peacemaker in hand, I stepped out. Looking around the few directions of the ally way, I saw no one so I lead Ally out of the jail house. Then a shot whizzed by my face and I raised my gun and fired at the two men down the ally. Leading Ally in front of me, shots banged against the walls as we ran through the back allies behind the saloon. That’s when I saw the barrels. Pushing Ally behind the barricade, I turned, ran two steps and fired. My first blast caught the lead man in the head, while my second shot caught his partner in the chest as I pulled Ally up from her hiding place. “You okay,” I asked? She was trembling with fear; I could see it in her eyes. For a moment I comforted her, telling her it would be alright, but we had to move. Leading her again in front of, we ran out into the street and were met by over ten firing rifles as we dove behind a water trough. The train station was almost a hundred and fifty yards away. Shots flew into the water as Ally asked me, “What do we do now?” I looked around for a way out, and I looked for what seemed a lifetime. She then looked at me. “Its over isn’t it. There’s no where to go.” I looked at her and threw my arm around her and held her close. “You are getting’ home,” I yelled over the roar of the guns, “I don’t care what it takes you will get home!” She then nodded her head, and I gave her instructions. “When I say go, run to the goods shop. I’ll be in before long.” Again, she nodded now with tears flowing from her eyes. With my guns up, I hollered, “Go!” Ally took off towards the store as I fired my guns beside her. She ran into the store with bullets picking apart the wooden walls, as I backed my way in firing my last few shots. Four men had fallen to my quickly aimed shots, yet there were still six left. The door shut behind us and I lead Ally to the back of the store with the railroad within a couple hundred feet. There were two rifle men standing in our way however. Running out with my Peacemaker, I fired. Striking one man, his partner fired and the shot barely missed my head as I lined up my next shot with Ally running behind me. This shot struck him in the head and he fell with a thud, for the bigger they come the harder they fall. Then I heard a shot from left and Ally fell. Sheriff was there, lining up another shot at her. Blocking his line of fire, I fired my own gun striking his hat and he retreated. I picked Ally up in my arms and ran towards the train station, where the train was just pulling in. I opened the passenger door, yelling for a doctor. As I lay her down on a seat, I examined the wound. The bullet had struck her in the arm but it was so close it caused her to fall. She then looked at me with a grin. “We made it,” she asked? I grinned back, “Yeah, we made it Honey.” Then my frown faded, and so did hers. “Honey,” I told her, “You know I have to go back out there.” She stared at me, “No! Please Cole you can’t!” A tear fell from my eye as I told her. “Honey, if we just let these men go that Sheriff will just come down to our house and kill us. I have to do this. I’m sorry.” She began cry, and I held her. “I understand it’s for our safety,” She said. “Will you be waiting for me at home?” At this question she looked up at me, “Cole Chase, I will always be waiting for you to come home. Just please don’t leave me waiting.” I began to reload my guns and walk towards the door, and then I turned and said, “Like I said before Ally, as long as I have you, I can’t die.” She smiled and waved good bye from the window as I stepped off the train and began to reload my guns and then I saw them. Burton and four of his men were there standing in front of me, watching as I readied my guns for all hell to break loose. “Wife divorced you right after you saved her Chase?” Like a two trails leading to hell, our empty shells fell from our guns as we reloaded them while we inched our way towards each other. “Nope,” I sneered, “Two things, you shot her for one. And I decided there can’t be me and you here in this world. One will have to kill the other.” He chuckled, still advancing slowly towards me. “You know what, you’re damn right kid. But there’s one thing you forgot about.”

“What’s that?” He smiled, “You’re all alone against the five of us.”

“No he ain’t.”

Burton’s eyes ventured away from me to behind me as I turned my head for a quick second. There standing behind me was a man I never thought I’d see in this situation. Marshal Kittler. “Evenin’ Burton, still up to the same shit you was doin ten years ago I see.” He took place beside me as I again faced Burton, our hands ready to draw. “I’ll take Burton and the one right of him, you cut that one out on the far left there and we’ll work everyone else,” I whispered to the Marshal and he agreed. I then looked at the deputy, who was standing right of Burton. He looked to be a real gunman, wearing a black coat with a nice white shirt. I began to walk up to them. “Game on boys.” Burton could only watch as my gun came out of its holster like a spring and shot his deputy on his left, then as he tried to get his gun out of its holster I turned my gun and fired, striking the Sheriff in the shoulder. Marshal sprung his gun from his holster and fired at another man in the line, failing to make a fatal shot. The Sheriff was shooting as I fired a quick shot that grazed his neck and he ran down the street. A shot whizzed past my head as I spun around to see a man lining me up with his rifle. Only one shot was fired, and he fell from the walkway. Guns erupted into the afternoon sun as we battled for our lives. Marshal finished his six - shooter and ran for an ally-way, grabbing a rifle off a dead body. The Sheriff was still firing for down the street as I fired back with a rifle I had picked up. Again I fired, only to miss by mere centimeters, and again. Finally, he was concealed behind a building as I found a safe place to reload my guns, and refresh myself. I could see the Marshal firing at another man down the street, and then I saw a horseman, the Sheriff. I shouldered my rifle and fired, missing my mark as a bullet flew past my face and I swung my rifle, firing into my shooter. As I turned the rifle back to the Sheriff, I could see he was already gone. I had let him escape. The only man in my life I swore I would kill I had let escape. “Why the hell didn’t I shoot him first,” I asked myself? Marshal came to my side. “Let him go Son,” he said, “Just let him go.” I turned to him, reloading my gun. “He killed my family and shot my wife. How can I just let him go?” He shrugged, then said, “I don’t know Son, but I can tell you from my experience that it’s just better to let the bastard go. Even though it may seem like you are obligated to chase him, you have a girl to go home to. That should be your main priority at the moment.” I stared off into the distance, watching the distant figure of Sheriff Burton fading. He was right; I had to think of Ally now. “You ever had that happen to you?”

“Many times, and I’m telling you the best thing to do is just let him go. Look at it this way Cole, now his name will be out and almost every Sheriff from here to Corpus Christi will be looking for him. He’ll get caught and whoever does will string him up from the rooftops.” He walked back to his horse and mounted as I tried to calm mine. “It’s going to take sometime to get back to Shallowater,” he said.

‘She’ll be waiting,” I said as I reined my horse off to the southwest.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THE GIRL

As I rode over the rolling hills of the Texas plains, I soon saw the light of our house. Marshal saw the light as well. “You always keep that light on during the night?”

“Only when one of us is away, so that one can find their way back.” Then, through the window, I saw a figure sitting at the table, Ally. She looked to be hunched over as if she was crying. Perhaps she thought I was dead, perhaps she believed I had fallen to my cowardly enemy. Leaning down from my horse, I picked up both some grass and a large, straight branch. Lighting a match, I lit my torch and spun it around in my hand. I could see Ally coming out the door of the house, trying to see what it was. I turned to the Marshal and extended my hand, “I thank you Marshal for all the help you have given me.” Shaking my hand, he said, “Anything for my daughter to be happy.” I laughed as he galloped towards town, while I rode off towards the only girl for me. As I drew closer, I could see Ally had a shotgun in her hand, holding it awkwardly. “Stop! I don’t want to shoot but I will.” I laughed hard at this remark as I dropped down of my horse, “I thought we agreed I would be the only one to use a gun in this house.” She dropped the shotgun, in awe of who was in front of her. “It can’t be. Cole? Tell me that is you.” I shone the light on my face, “It’s me Honey,” and I blew out the torch as she jumped into my arms. Even though she was very slim, her weight caused me to loose my balance and I fell. As we lay there we laughed in each others arms, not wanting to let go of the other. “I thought for sure you had died,” she told me. Still laughing, I replied, “Well what did I tell you, when you are here in this life I can’t die.” Her eyes gazed into mine, then getting up I carried her into the house. Her head was upon my shoulder as I lay her down on the bed and not long after I too retired to the bed, exhausted from the fighting. I was thankful it was over. “Cole,” Ally whispered to me that night as her head lay upon my chest, “Promise me that you will never scare me like you did today again.” Her eyes found mine and a tear dropped from hers as I said, “As long as the trouble doesn’t find me, I promise you I will not fight again Ally.” She laid her head back on my chest as I stroked her hair, not wanting to fall asleep.

********

A week passed with no sign of Burton or his men, which was a relief to me. I had told myself that if he came for me I would kill him, or be killed. For this reason, I now wore my Navy Colt in my belt along with my Peacemaker in its holster. I couldn’t give Burton any chance to kill me, not with Ally here. For most of the week I had only thought of Ally, and how I had almost lost her. One morning I arose early, leaving Ally in the bed to sleep for a few more hours. As I rode off into the early morning darkness, I thought about how alone I felt without her. The emptiness inside of me, the yearning for her to be beside me, it was almost too much to bear. After the gunfight in Abernathy I began to realize the true meaning of you don’t know what you have until you loose it. I had almost lost the person I cared about most in this world, by my own doing. If I had been killed, what would Ally have done? I began to ask myself how could I be so selfish, going after one man for my own want even when scripture says it is not right to kill. Although sometimes it is necessary for survival, to kill a man should not be on anyone’s to do list. These thoughts soon faded as I rode through the early morning fog and found my herd still on the flats, grazing. Watching from a hill, it seemed that the world would finally point in the direction I wanted for the first time since I married Ally. Seeing that the cattle had plenty of food and water for a few more days, I decided to make the six mile ride back to the house and spend the day with Ally. I guess my yearning got the best of me after all.

********

Nearing the house all seemed the same. Ally’s figure in the house making breakfast, the smell of the fresh bacon on the stove and the best sight I will ever have in my lifetime. It was a calm day with distant clouds threatening our day with rain, and Red began to get nervous. “It’s alright boy.” Walking him into the stables, I lead him to his pen. Then I heard a small clap of thunder in the distance as I took my saddle and hung it on the pen wall. That’s when I saw him. There at the entrance stood a man I had known for only a week, but that was long enough. His hands were on his guns, ready to go. My hand found my holster as I began to walk slowly towards the entrance, and that’s when his hands blurred. The sound of our guns echoed throughout the plains for all to hear, and all knew whose guns the sound was coming from. This war was one the entire town of Shallowater was anticipating. Cole Chase’s soon to be last fight. I was almost convinced it wouldn’t happen. Yet, the inevitable can happen. A nearby rancher said later that the shots continued for about ten seconds, and then all went silent. One man was killed that day. That’s the only way either of us could live. There were indeed many shots fired and each man had lead in his body, but only one was fatal. Ally came running out of the house with her hands over her mouth as she stood outside the entrance to the stables, to scared that she would find me dead to even think of going in. She stopped crying just long enough to see me leaning against the stable threshold, and she was stunned. I was not certain what she was starring at, either my existence or my wounds. One bullet had caught me in the left shoulder with another in my left thigh, and finally a third in my left shoulder right above the first bullet. Burton had not been so lucky. My first shot caught him high in the right shoulder while his found my left shoulder as we circled each other, firing our guns. A few shots later he hit my thigh and I went down and again he fired into my shoulder. As he lined me up for the third bullet, I made a quick shot that connected with his right chest bone and he was paralyzed by the shot for a split second, but it was enough. My next two shots found his chest, while my fourth and fifth bullets were placed in the mid section followed by one quick shot to the head. Then he fell. His body riddled with bullets, I walked past him and to the door and that’s where Ally found me. After she was done starring in disbelief, she ran to help me as I fell due to loss of blood. By now a few townsmen had arrived, hearing the shots and one went for a doctor. It wasn’t long before half of the town was there to watch Cole Chase survive yet another fight. Someone was pushing through the crowd as I turned to see Marshal Kittler standing there with the Doc. “Cole, what happened,” Marshal asked?

“Go look inside the stables and you’ll see,” I told him. Then, another person pushed through the crowd. Mrs. Alamode stood out from the crowd and said, “I’ll tell you what went on here Marshal,” she said in a harsh, ignorant voice, “This blood thirsty bastard just made another round. The great Cole Chase has killed another innocent man that probably just came to ask for a cup of coffee that’s all!” The Marshal turned to me and I shook my head, and he went back to investigating Burton’s body. Then, how I did it I will never know, I got up slowly and walked over to her. Everyone was frightened as I walked over to her, and Ally walked in front of me. “Cole, you can’t kill her.” I looked down at her and smiled, “Honey, I will never hurt a woman,” I whispered, “But she don’t know that.” Ally then got a smirk on her face and walked behind me and put her arms around my waist. “Mrs. Alamode, I’m going to ask you to leave now,” I told her. She looked at me with all the hate and anger I had ever seen in a woman, yet I had never hurt her or offended her. “I’ll leave when I want to Mr. Chase, an’ there ain’t a damn thing you can do about it.” At the remark, I took my Peacemaker from my holster and began to eject the spent shells from the cylinder. “Marshal,” I called, “What does the law say about trespassers?” He called from the stable threshold, “Say’s anyone trespassing on one man’s land can be either shot or run off with no charge to the landowner.” I looked at Mrs. Alamode, “He’s damn right Ma’am, and I suggest you get going and please, do not come back.” She waited until I began to load live shells into my gun, then she walked swiftly to her horse and rode away. Then, I spoke to the crowd, “Ladies and Gentleman, most of you know me as a killer. I want to tell you right now I am not a killer. I have killed men, but I don’t hunt men for sport or for fun. The men you see dead because of my bullet are dead because they came asking for it. I hope you all know that.” It was then the crowd dispersed, and Ally and Doc went on to treat my wounds.

EPILOGUE

Some say two opposite world’s collided that day, while others say that it was meant to happen. The gift of life was given to me once again, and unfortunately for one damned fool, it was not. What makes the perfect gift in life? Is it given to us during our lives, or is it life itself? To me, life itself is a gift. Just being able to walk on this earth, for however short of time is enough for me. To me, the greatest gift in life itself can only be given through God. The life of Ally given to me is the most incredible gift from God I could have ever imagined. The gift of life was again given to us as a few weeks later when we discovered that Ally would be expecting our first of hopefully a few children. Marshal and Mrs. Kittler did end up being great in-laws, taking the place of my late parent. Of course, I have not forgotten them. But when it comes right down to it, I never grieve over the thought that they are dead because deep down I know they are right there with me, in my heart.

Author’s Note

I hope everyone who has read this has enjoyed it. The novel was first written to show others that even though a certain person may look hard and unforgiving on the outside, inside there may be some good to him. We will never know this until we explore that person and find the true definition of them.