Molly, you…”
She didn’t allow him to finish until she corrected him. “Excuse me, I’m Mrs. Forrest to you.”
McCall smirked. “Fine, Mrs. Forrest you didn’t go home last night.”
She felt more comfortable since knowing that she remembered her pistol. Before going to Marta’s house she stopped by her cabin to pick up some clothes and her .32 Smith and Wesson double action that Miles had purchased for her as a Christmas present. It fit in the pocket of her work dresses well because it was small and was hammerless.
“How do you know I didn’t go home?” she asked.
He swallowed deeply, McCall didn’t like to be put on the defensive. “I came by to check on you.”
Molly gave a little laugh. “To check on my or to snoop? It’s mighty dangerous to be peeking through someone’s window. Good way to get shot. Now, if you don’t mind I have work to do.”
“One more minute of your time, Mrs. Forrest,” he snapped his voice filled with bitterness. “I went through the wanted posters and didn’t see one that fit the description of the man yesterday.”
The front door opened, Molly glanced toward it. “Sheriff Gold,” she gushed. “Excuse me marshal, Charlie, have a seat, I need to talk with you.”
* * * *
I had been able to stop the bleeding in Jens’ leg. He had pulled a couple of stitches loose, nothing serious, just sore as the dickens.
“I thought Martin was supposed to get here yesterday,” he wailed, the took some deep breaths. “So the croaker was beat pretty badly?”
Nodding, I responded, “But it was more than that. They threatened to break or cut up his fingers. That would stop his doctorin’ days,” pausing for a moment I pulled at my moustache. “Think it was Abrams?”
“I know it was Abrams!” he barked, “but I can’t prove it. So no one recognized the man? Someone just wandered by and happened to start shooting through the hotel window, which also just happened to be my room. Bah!”
“The senorita over at the cantina might tell me somethin’. The owner, Ramon, he’d like to, but he’s scared out of his wits.”
I got up to leave. “Hold on, Miles. Help me out of this bed.”
“No, you stay there! The bleedin’ has stopped and I’ve got you patched up again,” I answered him in no uncertain terms.
“Just out to the chair in the lobby.”
Between his hobbling and my half carrying him he made it to the chair without opening up the wound again.
“Hand me my rifle,” he ordered.
After giving him the rifle I turned to leave and head to the cantina.
“Hold on,” came another order. “You mentioned someone called the Pale Rider. That he was stalking me. Tell me more.”
“The Pale Rider–Death, is seen in the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation.”
Putting up his hand, he broke into my explanation. “I know the Bible, I’ve heard enough fire and brimstone preachers in my time.”
“Fine, for some reason the Lord has allowed me to…
Month: March 2020
Echoes From the Campfire
Once he made up his mind to do it, he whipped up the mules and let the devil take the hindmost.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Far Canyon)
“But let your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.”
–Matthew 5:37 (HCSB)
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In these trying times, one of the best things that you can do for yourself is to get in the Word of God. Read and meditate upon the Psalms.
1 – Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong.
2 – For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants.
3 – Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely.
4 – Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.
5 – Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act,
6 – making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday.
7 – Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the man who carries out evil plans.
8 – Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated—it can only bring harm.
9 – For evildoers will be destroyed, but those who put their hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
10 – A little while, and the wicked person will be no more; though you look for him, he will not be there.
11 – But the humble will inherit the land and will enjoy abundant prosperity. (HCSB)
When I read the first two verses, the thing that comes quickly to my mind are the “celebrities.” I have often wondered why they think they are so special. Don’t let what they say agitate you. In today’s world you can add the politicians and journalists. Some of them must sit up late at night dwelling on how they can thwart God’s word, how they can fulfill their evil agenda.
Get them, Lord, I think, but then I must read verses 7 and 8. It is hard to calm down and wait patiently for the Lord to act. Sometimes people, especially those we see in the media, just jerk my jaws, how about you? Oh, Lord, help settle the agitation I feel. George O. Wood wrote, “The more I boil, fret, and stew, the more I bumble into evil and become ensnared by it.”
Verses 4 and 5 are very familiar, but often taken out of context. People often “claim” verse 4, “He will give you your heart’s desires,” but they tend to forget the condition, “Take delight in the LORD.” The same is true for verse 5. We want the promise, but we forget that every promise has a command or obligation. They must go together!
“Whatever you feel yourself best fitted for, one ought to endeavor to devote the peculiarities of his nature to his Redeemer’s service.” This was written by the famed missionary David Livingstone to his teenage son. The Lord gives us desires, therefore, it is our obligation to follow them in His service. Verse 5 was one of Livingstone’s favorite verses.
“Thy way, not mine, O Lord
However dark it be;
O lead me by thine own right hand,
Choose out the path for me.”
–Horatius Bonar
Do we really trust the Lord? Are we accepting the path that He has chosen for us or are we balking at every circumstance and situation? Listen: God is in control!
Coffee Percs
When I had eaten the bacon I sat back with a cup of coffee in my hand, leaning against the trunk of a ponderosa, and studied my situation.”
–Louis L’Amour (Passin’ Through)
In the graylight of the mornin’ it is very still, with only a few birds chirpin’ as I’m sittin’ on my back deck, coffee in hand, waitin’ for yuh to show up, Pard. Just spendin’ some time ponderin’ while waitin’. Pard, yuh ever stop to wonder how much time we spend just waitin’? Guess it helps teach us patience.
I haven’t done too much a studyin’ on this here China virus. I do know that it’s caused a lot of heehawin’ and of course the media has to have their hoorawin’ as well. I’m looking out at the woods, lookin’ to see which trees around have the best leaves in case we run out of paper. Plenty of oak, gum, and maple, so I should be all right.
Saw where a several of those young snips were smartin’ off again. Yep, you guessed it Pard, the Millennials and Generation Z told the police that they were not goin’ to let the virus destroy their partyin’. Besides bein’ obnoxious, arrogant, and selfish they represent a society that will be left behind when the Lord comes like a “thief in the night.”
So, in the midst of all the uproar, I reckon I’ll just trust in the Lord and enjoy my coffee. Doin’ some writin’ on a new novel. Hmmm, from the looks of the pot, I’d say it’s time to brew up a new batch.
You be safe an’ stay at home. One thing that does for yuh, yuh won’t have to be a wonderin’ if’n yuh checked yur cinch or not.
Echoes From the Campfire
Life has its sorrows, but the good Lord gives us many blessings to compensate, don’t you think?”
–C.M. Curtis (Return of the Outlaw)
“So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy.”
–John 16:22 (HCSB)
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“I am watching for the coming of the glad millennial day,
When our blessed Lord shall come and catch His waiting Bride away;
Oh! my heart is filled with rapture as I labor, watch and pray,
For the Lord is coming back to earth again.”
–J.W. Kirk
In my way of understanding Scripture, there is a problem with the theology of this verse. It seems as if this person might be a postTribulation rapture believer. That put aside, we should all be following the idea of us laboring, watching, and praying, for FOR SURE the Lord is coming back to earth again.
“Jesus’ coming back will be the answer to earth’s sorr’wing cry,
For the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth and sea and sky;
God shall take away all sickness and the suff’rer’s tears will dry,
When our Savior shall come back to earth again.”
The earth is groaning; the inhabitants of the earth are moaning. But when the Lord appears to establish His reign on earth He will remove the curse. The earth will replenish itself; pollution will not be seen. Man will smile and not fear; he will not worry about being sick or losing someone to a dreaded disease.
“Yes, the ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion then with joy,
And in all His holy mountain nothing hurts or shall destroy;
Perfect peace shall reign in ev’ry heart, and love without alloy,
After Jesus shall come back to earth again.”
Those of the Lord can begin to rejoice–NOW! But the, the hope of His coming will become a realization. Jesus will rule from His temple in Jerusalem. The “Prince of Peace” will bring perfect peace to the inhabitants of the earth.
“Then the sin and sorrow, pain and death of this dark world shall cease,
In a glorious reign with Jesus of a thousand years of peace;
All the earth is groaning, crying for that day of sweet release,
For our Jesus to come back to earth again.
Oh! our Lord is coming back to earth again,
Yes, our Lord is coming back to earth again;
Satan will be bound a thousand years, we’ll have no tempter then,
After Jesus shall come back to earth again.”
I mentioned a phrase of this in yesterday’s Echo, that’s why I thought it would be good to look at the complete song. What a glorious time that will be. Now don’t think for a minute that you’ll have wings, or that you’ll be floating around with a harp. Oh no, you’ll be working, working for the Lord. However, the curse will be removed–the Lord will reign!