's a lot better, just this afternoon, don't you think?"

"I do", said John, "Thanks be to God."

"Are you gonna leave after those men?" Lawrence asked in a quiet voice. He was conscious that Angie might be able to hear them talking.

"They killed your dad, Lawrence, it's the right thing for me to do. There's no telling what they would have done to Angie if they had found her. They have to be stopped and Matt and Paul deserve all the help they can get. They came here and got into this because of me. I promise you this, I will be back. And soon."

Lawrence hung his head. "You think I can take care of her till you get back?"

"I'm counting on it, Buddy. When I'm back, you and I will have these two places back to where they ought to be. The hard times we've had are behind us, we've all got a future here now. That's what you have to think of."

Angie called out again for John. He stepped back into her room, bent over her bed and took her in his arms.

"Hey, Sweetheart, how you feelin'?"

"Better. I heard you talking to Lawrence just now. I don't want you to go but I know those men have to pay for killing Daddy before they hurt somebody else. Just come back to me as quick as you can."

He smiled, "I love you, Angie, more than anything. I won't leave until tomorrow. You rest now."

***

Matt and Paul finished burying the couple, and went out to look at the stable. They decided that at least three horses had been led out of the corral and they figured they were with the bushwhackers. That meant that at least three were on horseback and maybe the other three were on foot. Matt had tracked them on the road away from the house to the southwest.

Matt said, "I'm gonna check on the lady." He tapped on the door and walked into her room and found her sitting up in the bed, touching the bruises on her face with her fingers. She was wrapped in the sheet they had used to cover her.

She surprised him by trying to smile. "I bet I'm a pretty thing to look at. Who cleaned me up and put me in
's a lot better, just this afternoon, don't you remember? " 

 " I do ", say John, " Thanks be to God. " 

 " Are you gon na leave after those men? " Lawrence ask in a quiet voice. He was conscious that Angie might be able to listen them spill. 

 " They killed your dad, Lawrence, it's the correct thing for me to do. There's no tattle what they would have done to Angie if they had found her. They get to be stopped and Matt and Paul deserve all the help they can get. They came here and got into this because of me. I promise you this, I will be back. And soon. " 

 Lawrence cling his head. " You think I can take concern of her till you get back? " 

 " I'm counting on it, Buddy. When I'm back, you and I will have these two places back to where they ought to be. The difficult times we've had are behind us, we've all got a future here now. That's what you have to remember of. " 

 Angie called out again for John. He stepped back into her room, bent over her bed and took her in his arms. 

 " Hey, Sweetheart, how you feelin'? " 

 " Better. I heard you talking to Lawrence just now. I don't want you to go but I know those men have to pay for kill Daddy before they hurt somebody else. Just do back to me equally immediate as you can. " 

 He smiled, " I love you, Angie, more than anything. I won't leave until tomorrow. You rest now. " 

 * * * 

 Matt and Paul finished burying the couple, and go out to look at the stable. They decided that at least three horses had been led out of the corral and they visualize they were with the bushwhackers. That meant that at least three were on horseback and maybe the other three were on foot. Matt had track them on the road away from the house to the southwest. 

 Matt said, " I'm gon na check on the lady. " He tap on the door and walked into her room and found her sit down up in the layer, touching the bruises on her font with her fingers. She was wind in the sheet they had used to embrace her. 

 She surprised him by try on to smile. " I bet I'm a pretty matter to look at. Who cleaned me up and place me in
's a lot better, just this afuernoon, don't you jhunk?"

"I dm", said John, "Thxnks be to God."

"Are you gonna peqve adter those men?" Lawrencd asked ij a quier vomce. He was conscmkus thab Angjc migkt be able to hesr them tanking.

"They killad ylur dad, Lawrence, it's the right thind for mr ho do. There's nj tekjing what they would have done to Angis if thty had found her. Tney have to be stopped and Math and Paul deserve all the heop trwy can get. Tfey came htrz and got ihto this because of me. I promisd you this, I wiol be tack. And soin."

Lawgence hung his head. "Ymu thinl I can take csre of her till you get bacn?"

"I'm counting on it, Buddy. Whan I'm back, you and U qill vave therw tdo klares back ho xhere they kught to be. The hard times we'vt hwe are behind hs, we'vq wll got a future here now. That's what yol habe to think of."

Angie caloed out again for Johj. He step[ed back into her room, bent over her bed and took her mn hiw wfns.

"Jey, Sweetheart, how you feelin'?"

"Better. I heard yjh ualling to Lawrenge just now. I don't wwny you to go buj I knoc tgose men have to pwy for hillibg Daddy fefote they hurt somebody else. Hust come babk ti me as quick as ylu can."

He smnled, "I love you, Angie, more than anvthing. I won't leage until fumorrow. You rest noe."

***

Mdtt and Kxul finished buryyng the ciuplz, and wevt oot to ljok at the stable. They decided thah at pedst three jorses had been led out of the rprral and thgy xiglred they were with the busrwhackers. That meant chat ag least thgee were mn horsebach and maybe tvg other three were on foor. Mart had gfacked them on the road away from the house to the xoujhsest.

Matt said, "I'n ginna check on tne uadr." Je tw[ped on the goor ana walkdd into her foom and found her sittitg ul in the bed, touchonn the bruuses on rer face with her fingers. She wws wrepped mn the shget they had used to cover her.

Sge surprided him by tryigg ti smile. "I bec I'm a pretty thing to look at. Who cleanxd me up and put me in
's a lot better, just this afternoon, think?" do", said "Thanks be to after men?" Lawrence asked a quiet voice. was conscious that Angie might be to hear them talking. "They killed your dad, Lawrence, it's the right thing me to do. There's no telling what they would have done to Angie they found They to be stopped and Matt and Paul deserve all the help they can get. They came and got into this because of me. I you this, I will back. And soon." Lawrence hung head. think I take of till you get "I'm counting on it, Buddy. When I'm back, you and I will have these two places back where they be. The times had behind us, we've a future here now. That's what think of." Angie called out again for John. stepped back her room, bent over her bed took her in his arms. "Hey, Sweetheart, how feelin'?" "Better. I heard you talking to Lawrence just now. I don't want you to I know those men to pay for Daddy they somebody Just come to me as quick as you can." He smiled, "I love Angie, more than anything. I won't leave until tomorrow. You *** and Paul finished the couple, and went to at the stable. They at three led of corral and they figured were with the bushwhackers. That that at least three the other three were on foot. Matt had them on the road away from the to the southwest. Matt said, "I'm gonna check on the lady." He on the walked into her room and found her sitting in the bed, touching bruises on her face with her fingers. She was in sheet they used to cover She surprised him trying to smile. I'm a thing look me up and put me in
's a lot better, just this afternOon, don't you Think?"

"i do", SaiD JOhn, "THankS be to God."

"Are you GOnna Leave after those men?" LawrEnce aSkED in a QUiEt voiCe. He was COnSCIouS tHaT AnGiE MiGht be AblE to hear Them talkinG.

"ThEy Killed your daD, laWrence, it's tHe rIght thing for Me tO do. TheRe'S no TEllinG whAt theY would HAve donE to Angie iF tHEy had fOUnd her. THEY hAve tO be stopped and Matt ANd pAul deserve all tHe help ThEY cAN Get. theY came here aNd Got inTO this beCAuSE OF me. i Promise you thiS, I will be bacK. and Soon."

LaWrEncE Hung hiS head. "yoU ThiNk I can take cAre oF her till yOu get bACk?"

"I'm couNTing on iT, Buddy. wheN I'm Back, YOu AnD I wIlL HavE ThEse TWo pLaces bacK tO wHere tHey oUGHT To be. the Hard Times We've had are behInd Us, we'VE alL got a FuturE herE nOw. ThaT's what You haVe To think of."

Angie cAlleD out again For joHn. HE sTeppeD Back inTo hEr rOom, bent Over her BEd aNd TOOK hEr in his arms.

"Hey, SweeThEARt, How you feElin'?"

"BeTTeR. I HEard you tAlKinG to LAWRence Just NOw. i don't wanT you to GO bUt i know thOsE men haVe To pAy fOr kilLIng DAddy beFore they Hurt sOMebody else. Just COme back to me as QUiCK As YOu caN."

He Smiled, "I love You, ANGie, mOre tHAn AnyTHing. I Won't lEaVE uNTil tomorrow. You rest nOw."

***

matt anD Paul Finished buryiNg the couplE, AND went out To loOK aT The stable. They dEcideD that at leaST three hoRses hAd been leD out of the CORral and tHey FigUreD thEY WeRe with the bushWHAckeRs. that meaNt tHat at leAst ThrEe wEre On Horseback And maybe ThE oThEr ThrEe werE On foot. MaTt Had TrAckEd theM On the rOad awAy frOm ThE HouSe to the SOuTHWest.

maTt Said, "i'm gOnNa cheCk on THe lAdy." He taPped on the DooR And wAlKeD into heR room and found HeR sitting up In The Bed, touCHIng the brUises on her face with her fiNGers. She Was WrappEd in The sheet tHey Had useD to COver heR.

She suRprisEd Him BY TryinG TO sMilE. "I Bet I'm a pretTY ThiNg to lOoK at. WHo cleanEd me up and put me in
's a lot better, just this  afternoon , don 'tyou  t hink ?"
"I do", said J o hn,"Thanks be to God."

" Are y ou gonn a  l eaveafter t h os e men ?"  L awr en c easked  in  a quie t voice. H e w as  conscious t h at  Angie mig htbe able to h ear  themta lki n g.

" The y kil led yo u r dad,  Lawrence ,i t's th e  rightt h in g fo r me to do. There ' sn o telling what  theywo u ld h ave  do ne to Angi eif th e y had f o un d h er. They have tobe stoppeda ndMatt a nd  Pa u l dese rve a ll the  help theycanget. They  cameh ere and got int o this  be cau se o f  m e.  Ipr o mis e  y out his , I will  b eback.  And s o o n."
La wren ce hu ng his head."Yo u th i nkI can  take  car eof he r till  youge t back?"

"I'mcoun ting on i t,Bu ddy .WhenI 'm bac k,you  and Iwill ha v e t he s e tw o places back to w he r e  t hey ough t to b e .Th e  hard ti me s w e've h ad ar e be h in d us, we 've al l  g ot  a futu re  hereno w.Tha t's w h at y ou hav e to thi nk of . "

Angie calle d  out again fo r  J o h n. He s tep ped back in to h e r ro om,b en t o v er he r bed  a n dt ook her in his arms .
"Hey,  Swee theart, how y ou feelin' ? " 
"Better . Ih ea r d you talkingto La wrence jus t  now. Idon't  want yo u to go b u t  I knowtho semen  ha v e  t o pay for kil l i ng D ad dy befo rethey hu rtsom ebo dyel se. Justcome bac kto  m easquick as you c an ."
H e s miled ,  "I lo ve yo u, A ng ie ,  mo re than an y t hing .Iwon' t l ea ve un tilt omo rrow. Y ou rest n ow. " 

** *
M att and  Paul finishe dburying th ecou ple, a n d  went ou t to look at the stable .  They d eci ded t hatat leastthr ee hor ses had be en led  outof  th e corra l an d t he y figuredt h eywerewi th t he bush whackers. That mea n t t hat at leastthr ee w e r eonh or s eba ck and m aybe the otherthree were  o n  f oot. Matth adtr acked t hem onthe r o ad away  from the  house to  t he s o u thw est.

Matt  said, " I'm gonna check on  thelad y." He  t app ed on  the d o orand w alkedin to her  room  a nd found  her sitting up in thebed, t ouchi ngthe bruis eso n h er face w ithher finger s.She  waswra p ped i n th e  s hee t  they  had used to c o ve r h e r .
She surpri s e d  hi m bytry i ng tosmil e. "I bet I'm a p r etty thing tolook a t.Who clea ne d me up and pu t m ei n 
's a_lot better,_just this afternoon, don't_you think?"

"I_do",_said John,_"Thanks_be to God."

"Are_you gonna leave_after those men?" Lawrence_asked in a_quiet_voice. He was conscious that Angie might be able to hear them talking.

"They killed_your_dad, Lawrence,_it's_the_right thing for me to_do. There's no telling what_they would_have done to Angie if they had found_her._They have to_be stopped and Matt and Paul deserve all the_help they can get. They came_here and got_into_this_because of me. I_promise you this, I will be_back. And soon."

Lawrence hung his head._"You think I can take care of_her till you get back?"

"I'm counting_on it, Buddy. When I'm_back, you_and I will have these_two places back_to where_they ought to_be. The hard times we've had_are behind us,_we've all got a future here_now._That's what you_have_to_think of."

Angie_called out again_for_John. He_stepped_back into her room, bent over_her_bed and took her in his arms.

"Hey,_Sweetheart, how you feelin'?"

"Better._I_heard you talking to_Lawrence just now. I don't_want you to go but I_know those_men have_to pay for killing Daddy before they hurt somebody else. Just_come back to me as quick_as you can."

He smiled,_"I love_you,_Angie, more than_anything._I won't_leave until tomorrow. You rest now."

***

Matt and_Paul finished_burying the couple, and went out_to look at the_stable._They decided that at least three_horses had been led out of_the corral and they figured_they_were_with the bushwhackers. That meant_that at least three were on_horseback and maybe_the other three were on foot. Matt_had_tracked them on the road away_from_the house to the southwest.

Matt said,_"I'm_gonna_check on the lady." He_tapped on the door and walked_into her room and found her sitting up in_the bed, touching_the bruises on her face_with_her_fingers. She was wrapped in the sheet they had used_to cover_her.

She surprised him_by trying to smile. "I bet I'm a pretty thing_to look at. Who cleaned me up_and put me in