Boy, you’d just be a tasty morsel for them wolves,” joked Burnett as Lucas stepped up on the train.
    His eyes widened and he jumped the last two steps into the car.
    “Miles, what’s wrong with him?” asked Burnett as Molly stepped aboard.  “I was only joshin’ him.”
    “For some reason he’s deathly scared of wolves.  Take it easy on him,” I replied.
    Theo clasped me on the back.  “Sure didn’t mean to be upsettin’ him.”
    As I entered the car Lucas was kneeling on a seat, looking out the windows.  Molly was moving through the car looking for Charlie and Marta.
    “Lucas,” I said standing behind him.  “Marshal Burnett was just kiddin’ with you.”
    “Miles,” came the voice of Molly.  “Back here.”
    I hustled on back toward the end of the car.  There were some hurt folk in there, maybe a dozen.  It made me wonder how many were killed in the explosion.
    Molly was stooped down and bent over Marta.  “Hey there, Miles,” Charlie said softly.  
    Reaching over I touched the side of his face where he had a nice gash.  “You need to get this sewed up Charlie.  Hurt anywhere else?”
    He stood up while Molly was checking Marta.  “Here,” he pointed to his side.  “I was shot.”
    “Shot!” I exclaimed.  “I thought it was an explosion.”
    “Someone was out there waiting,” uttered Charlie.  “They seemed to know who I was.”
    I looked down at Marta.  “How’s she doin’?”
    “Not sure; we need a doctor,” he paused, then sighed.  “I don’t even know if one’s on the way or not.”
    Molly stood up next to me as Theo also came up bringing Lucas with him.  He nodded at me to reassure me that everything was all right between him and Lucas.
    “Theo, do you know Sheriff Gold?”  
    “I know him now; didn’t know he was a sheriff though,” replied Theo.
    Molly interrupted my introductions.  “Her pulse is strong, but she’s hurt.”
    “The explosion was a couple of seats in front of us.  It threw her up over me.  I think she hit her head on one of the seats behind us,” he answered nervously.  “I can’t seem to keep her conscious.”
    “She must have what Doc Jones is callin’ a concussion,” I offered.  “Is she sick to her stomach?”
    Molly grabbed hold of Charlie’s hand.  “Her arm is for sure broken, and maybe a couple of ribs.  I…I don’t know if there are any internal injuries.  Has she regained consciousness at all?”
    “Now and then.  I try to get her to drink some but water is scarce,” he said.  “There is water down the ravine in a creek, but it’s quite a haul.  I thought about going down, but I don’t want to leave her.”
    “Charlie, I’m going to see if I can round up some buckets.  Since Molly’s here now, we can make a trip to the creek.  I imagine there’s others thirsty.”
    “I will help!” Lucas informed us.  Just as he said that, a wolf let loose with a howl.”  Lucas cringed, but stood firm with a fierce look in his eyes.
    Turning to Theo I asked, “How many dead?”
    “Five, they were sitting right over the blast.  Miles, I just can’t figure it.  There was nothing on this train worth taking,” he answered shaking his head.
    “I don’t understand it either, but I think it was to get revenge on me.”
    “You!” he exclaimed, “why you weren’t even on the train.”
    Pointing at Charlie then to Marta, “But a couple of close friends were.  Theo, did you know that Charlie was shot?”
    He jerked his head and roared, “I had no idea!  Do you think they’re still lurking?”
    Shrugging my shoulders I suggested, “Theo, see if you can find some buckets and we’ll make a trip to the creek before dark.  While you’re a-doin’ that I’m gonna take a look-see out there.  Lucas, you stay here with Charlie until I get back.
    “Miles,” said Molly grasping my coat.  “You be careful!”
    Givin’ her one of my winsome smiles, “Aren’t I always?”
    The wolves began to howl as I turned to walk out of the car…

They’re still following us,” cried Lucas.
    He was speaking of the wolves.  Since the day we left camp after the storm, the wolves had stayed on our trail.  I caught a glimpse of them a time or two, but they kept their distance and didn’t try to come into camp at night.  I thought we might be getting a blizzard, but it snowed only a few inches and the wind had dropped.  It was cold, most definitely around zero, and once in a while there would be a little flurry.
    “Are they after us?” he said again, worried.
    “Don’t be worryin’ about them wolves.  They are just followin’ us ’cause they know that where men go there might be food of some sort.  They aren’t anxious to be takin’ on our guns.  Now, if we were to leave one of the horses to fend for himself, there would be a fight.  The horse might win, but that would depend on how many wolves there were.”
    “I’m sorry, Senor Miles, I know it is not right to be scared,” he whimpered, looking in all directions.
    “Who told you that?” I asked.  I kept my gaze forward.  It was white everywhere and we were following the rails.  We were moving slow as I didn’t want any of the horses to misstep on a rail or one of the ties.  
    I turned my face toward Lucas to answer him.  “Lucas, my boy, there’s been plenty of times that I’ve been scared.  A few times scared out of my wits.”
    “You’ve been afraid?” he asked astonished.
    “Many times, but a man has to keep goin’.  He has to take action, depend upon his skill, and the hand of the Lord.”
    “Miles!” Molly exclaimed interrupting us.  “There is the train.”
    The wreck was visible across the ravine.  We would have to stay on the tracks so it was about twice as far as it looked.  We should be there in about twenty minutes.  “Ride easy, we’ll get there.  No need to hurt the horses here at the end because we got in a hurry.”
    Now I became more wary.  There may be another type of wolves hanging hereabouts.  As we approached, the engine and wood car were on this side of the destroyed rails.  One of the passenger cars was about half destroyed.  The other was unharmed.  It was fortunate that the train wasn’t thrown over into the ravine.  It wasn’t steep, but it would have made it much worse.
    As we approached there was some activity and then a man started walking toward us.  It was Theo Burnett, U.S. Marshal from the Santa Fe area.  I had met him a couple of times, but didn’t really know him.
    We had to dismount to lead the horses the horses across where the explosion took place.  As we got on the other side, Burnett said, “Well, Marshal Forrest, I’m surprised to see you here.”
    “Looking for a friend,” I replied.  “He was supposed to be on this train coming home from his honeymoon.”
    He let his head drop a little; not a good sign.  “We have the dead back in the baggage car along with the severely wounded.  There are some wounded in the passenger car,” pausing he turned and pointed toward a tent.  “It’s been really cold.  There’s a little stove in the baggage car, one in the caboose and we kept a fire going in the tent.”
    “Theo,” I interrupted, “you didn’t tell me where my friends are.”
    “Follow me,” he said and started walking back.  Past the wreck, past the passenger car, and then he tapped on the baggage car.
    The door slid open wide enough for a person to get in or out.  Burnett grabbed my arm, “They’re alive and in there,” he paused looked at Molly and Lucas.  “She’s in bad shape.”
    At that time, up above us in the heavier timber came a mournful howl.  “The wolves!” Lucas exclaimed.

Lucas and Molly met me at Foster’s store where I purchased supplies for the trek.  I was able to rent a pack mule from Clem Vexler who said it was a dependable animal.  It was about a week’s trip, but I could get supplies along the way if needed.  What I had to carry with me was something in case the weather turned bad which it could easily do this time of year.  
    I stopped by the telegraph office to talk with Stan one more time before heading out.  He had received more information.  The rails had been blown just north of Chama and about twenty miles west of Conejos.  The train itself had blown just east of Cumbres Pass.  
    We were making good time.  I resupplied food in Pagosa Springs, and went to see if there was an update.  Nothing else had been reported so we didn’t stay around town, though I was tempted to stay at a hotel there.  Molly was hanging in there good, but Lucas seemed tired.  It was probably due to his youth and the stress he was feeling about his sister.  It’s strange how the unknown plays on one’s mind.  If they made it through the explosion I wasn’t worried that Charlie couldn’t take care of the situation, for he was a capable man.  I was just praying that they were alive and had no serious injuries.  
    That night we camped just south of the Rio Blanco River.  I noticed during the day that the clouds were building up.  It was beginning to concern me that we might get one of those snows that come up from the south.  They were unusual, but when they did come they tended to dump plenty of snow.  We would come out of the timber above a little village called Chromo which I figured was about twelve miles from camp.
    Lucas had the fire going, so I put the coffeepot on to boil.  I didn’t get in the way of Molly fixing up supper.  While she was doing that I rigged up a tarp I had purchased in Durango for the evening.  It had been cold the past couple of nights, but clear.  Tonight I wasn’t so sure.  I sent Lucas out to gather plenty of firewood and told him to place it under a large blue spruce.
    How she does it, I don’t know.  We had stew, biscuits and she had hidden away some canned cherries with which she made some fried pies.  
    “They sure sound mournful,” stated Molly in regard to the sound of the coyotes.  “Makes me shiver.  Why did you put up the tarp tonight, Miles?”
    “Just bein’ careful,” I replied.
    “Snow?” she questioned with concerned.  “That’s why you had Lucas gather more wood.”
    “Not concerned with snow.  But it’s so still now; kinda like the calm before the storm.  What I don’t want to hit is a full-fledged blizzard.”
    The howling continued.  “Those coyotes,” she said with a chuckle.
    “Not coyotes this time–wolves,” I interjected.
    Lucas’ eyes widened and he exclaimed, “Wolves!”
    “We’ll be okay, don’t you be worryin’,” I assured him.
    He got up to look around, then timidly began to clean up the area.  “Why don’t you go gather some more wood, just in case it does come a good snow,” I urged.
    Looking at me, he hesitated.  He looked all around the camp, and then sputtered, “But there are wolves out there.”
    “Lucas,” said Molly sternly, “this is not like you.”
    I could see he felt shame, but also seemed genuinely scared.  “Let me finish my coffee and I’ll go with you.  We’ll see if there isn’t a tree down that we can pull to camp.”
    That seemed to satisfy him.  Reaching for my cup I said, “Did I ever tell you of my experiences with wolves?  It happened about six years ago, if I remember right.  Remind me, and I’ll tell you how they attacked me.”
    Well, that was the wrong thing to say.  “Attacked you?”
    “So, what about Marta and Charlie?” interjected Molly quickly changing the subject.
    I poured another cup of coffee, emptying the pot.  “I want to make another one to keep one warm during the night.  They’re alright,” I said assuredly.  “The Lord has His hands on them, but I’m sort of ashamed of myself.”
    “Miles,” she said with concern.
    “All I’ve done is think about Charlie and Marta.  What about others that were on the train?  Others that were maimed or killed because of…of Merker.”
    The snow began to fall as I thought of Merker…in the distance the howl of a wolf began.

What was it like?  I’ve never experienced anything like what you’ve experienced,” said Molly in an excited yet hushed tone.
    We were sitting in the diner after the noon rush.  Anihu was in the kitchen cleaning up and fixing stew for supper.  Molly was only serving stew for the evening meal and she decided to close the diner on the 1st.  
    “It’s hard to explain,” I said taking a sip of coffee.  “I was sitting there with my hat pulled down over my eyes, but I wasn’t sleepin’ for I thought that Decker could be on the train and I darn’t not sleep.”
    “Go on,” she urged.
    “He sat down and I told Him I wasn’t sleepin’, and I could feel Him smile.  I didn’t see it, but I know He was as I could somehow feel it,” I paused pulling at my moustache, “just like I can feel Him frown at me.”
    “I didn’t hear His voice, yet I did…”
    She interrupted, “I don’t understand.”
    Smiling I continued, “I don’t either.  I didn’t hear it with my ears, but I heard it in here,” I said pointing at my chest.
“He asked what I thought about the job with Soapy Smith and I told Him I couldn’t take it.  That’s when I felt the smile.”  
    I looked at Molly.  “Sorry, I can’t explain it better than that.”
    She nodded as if she understood.
    “Then He asked about the position in New Orleans.  I told Him I didn’t think I would take it.  It would take me away from Durango, and you have the diner and all.”
    “There was the smile again, and He said, ‘Are you sure you shouldn’t go to New Orleans?  Sometimes a person has to do things that he doesn’t necessarily want to do.'”
    “Are you tellin’ me to go?” I asked.
    “No, I just want you to be settled in your mind,” I felt His presence begin to leave.  Merker and the fallen one will be after you again.  Stay on your guard!” and He was gone.
    I looked at her.  “Molly we must be diligent.  Always after I’ve had a visit from the Lord things seem to get a little rough.”
    She reached over putting her hand on my arm and smiled at me.  “We’ll get through it.  We’ve always have.”
    Reaching for the ever-ready coffeepot I refilled both our cups.  Lucas came out from the back along with Anihu and sat with us.  I grabbed a cup for each of them and filled it.  Lucas was growing up.  
    Molly gave a little laugh.  “It was a grand time, wasn’t it?  When are they supposed to be back?”
    “Manana,” spoke out Anihu.
    We had a grand time when Marta became Charlie Gold right after the Christmas service at the church.  We opened the diner for the whole congregation and anyone else from the town who wanted to join in the celebration.  I grabbed Charlie’s hat and put it on the counter for people to drop in donations and the cost of the meal if they could afford it in it for a wedding present.  I thought about using Charlie’s boot, but then when I pulled it off it might drive away those in the room, and Marta’s little wedding slipper was just too small for gathering in much.
    It wasn’t elaborate.  We just had venison chili, cake, and plenty of coffee.  I took over his duties as sheriff, at least in Durango, I didn’t go outside the town, while they were on their honeymoon.  He took her down to Santa Fe.
    Anihu doesn’t come out and join us often, so we were enjoying her company.  Lucas was always too busy, but also was still a kid, so he didn’t feel like sitting with us.  Laughing, Molly was retelling when Marta wiped icing on Charlie’s face.  He put on his sheriff’s stern face and it scared her until he started laughing.  She cried out and tried to put more icing on him.
    I had just lifted the cup to my lips for a sip when Stan Offut came in the door.  I saw him look around, then he headed straight toward our table with a telegram in his hand.  He doesn’t come here often to eat, and when he headed straight toward us I became a mite concerned.
    “Stan, what’s up?” I asked.
    He didn’t say anything, just handed me the telegram.  
    “Explosion on the train…STOP…No details…STOP
    “Marta was on that train!” yelled Lucas.
    “Miles!  He’s right.  Charlie and Marta were on that train coming back.”
    “That would put them somewhere between here and Conejos,” I said.  “I need to go.”
    I looked at Molly, then Stan interrupted.  “There’s more.  There tracks are destroyed in several places between here and Conejos.”
    Looking at him, I said, “I’m surprised the wires are still up.”  He just shrugged his shoulders, but it caused me to ponder.
    Taking one more sip I pushed my chair back and stood up.  As I did Molly did the same, “I’m going with you!” she stated emphatically.
    “Me too!” added Lucas.
    “I don’t think…” I started to say, but Lucas interrupted,
    “She’s my sister!”
    I grabbed his shoulder.  “Go saddle the horses.  You can ride Hawk.  Saddle Star for me and Two-Bits for Molly.  We’ll meet you at the cabin as Molly will have to change and I’ll need to get supplies,” I stated. 
    As we walked out of the diner, I looked back and saw Anihu with her head bowed–praying.  “Lucas, I’m goin’ over to Vexler’s and get a mule, then on to Foster’s store.  Meet me there.”