There was a little bullion to bring down, but a couple of weeks from now there would be plenty. The guard crew seemed adequate with the exception of Brown. It wouldn’t do no harm to do a little more thorough check before being hired.
Heading back to Durango I gave some time of postulating or as some call it, pondering. Sure wish I had a cup of coffee while I was doing it. Seems like the old noggin just works better. It would be easy for me to doze a spell and probably wouldn’t hurt, but I recalled the words of the Lord when He told me to be alert and not be caught sleeping. With that bounty out it wouldn’t be good for me to be caught napping.
Going through the narrows in the canyon I could hear the sound of the white water on the Animas River. It was mixed in with the chugging of the locomotive. I don’t think I could get tired of the beauty of this trip. The Lord sure did a wonderful job making this river canyon. It was a little cozy, but I wasn’t worried about sleeping with my brain working the way it was.
My life sure hadn’t gone any direction I thought it would. Sure there was the War and that sort of side-tracked quite a few folk. I rode with Custer in the Shenandoah Valley, and when I came home our house was gone. Mosby’s raiders burnt it; sort of a favor to my would be father-in-law after my family and West Virginia sided with the Union. Dad was dying of consumption after the war so I took Momma up to Pennsylvania to live with her sister right after Dad died. Then I decided to roam. I was involved in a little scuffle in Louisiana and then moved into Texas.
I ended up in San Antonio and made half dozen or so trips up the trail to Abilene and Dodge. Then I was with McNelly’s Special Force of the Texas Rangers. Texas was too hot for me and I headed up to Colorado, and off and on for a few years I worked with Dave Cook’s Rocky Mountain Detective Agency. That is the reason I have this Marshal’s badge now and am working for Wells Fargo.
I wanted to raise a few horses and maybe some cattle, but most of the time I’ve been working with the law. Guess the Lord’s plans are not always what we figured we wanted to do in life. Over the years I’ve pondered it some. He has the plans for us. He knows us, gave us our talents and gifts and then He guides us along in life. Looking back at my life I’m guessing He made me good at bringing the lawless to justice. Some of these men are just plain evil and some just got off on the wrong path. The Lord has given me sort of the ability to take care of myself and try and do some kind of good to folks around.
Then Molly came along. My she sure does make a good pie, and I enjoy her company. Figure at times though she’s been slighted with me out gallavanting about after bad men, and then she worries about what might happen to me. Thing is, now I worry some at times. Never used to be that way, but if something happens to me, then what happens to her?
There was a time I didn’t want to wear this badge. I had my doubts, and I had my selfish desires. There were several serious talks with the Lord around campfires. He always brings me back to the truism that He is in charge. I don’t doubt that and I don’t want it any other way. Now, I’m seeing what He has been doing with my life.
But I try to keep from worrying and fretting; not about myself but for Molly. There are at least three men after me and now that bounty. Yep, sure do need to be alert. Plus there are the dangers that go along with the job. There could be that day when I don’t return. I accept that, I’m ready for that, but what about her?
“Mind if I sit a minute or two.” I didn’t hear him approach. We had stopped for water, but I was alert.
“No, Miles, I sort of slipped up on you on my own. You’ve done right good.”
Now my soul started to tremble inside. I knew who it was.
“Sometimes you’re sort of dumb,” He said gently. “If I can take care of you and guide and protect you, don’t you think I’ll do the same for Molly?”
He got up then, “The devil has asked for you Miles.”
Trembling I asked, “What does that mean Lord? Are you giving me to him?”
“Miles,” He said with pity. “When would I ever give any of my family away? But stay alert, now more than ever.” I looked up to see His face and He was gone.
Then I heard it; down the canyon the echo reverberated, seeming back and forth against the walls. The cackle of evil, laughing, laughing, laughing.