house. Everyone could tell Myra Farland had been crying off and on for days now since her eyes looked so red. There wasn’t enough room in the tiny two room house for everyone so the boys brought the kitchen table out into the front yard and set up enough chairs for everyone there. Soph made some coffee and they all set down to talk at the table.
“You all know Mrs. Farland?” the sheriff asked Soph, A.J., and Bub.
“Yes we know who she is Sheriff,” Bub replied as his sister and brother nodded their heads. “What can we do for you two Sheriff?” he asked.
“I am really sorry over what my husband and the rest of my family did to you all,” Mrs. Farland said. “I don’t blame any of you for doing what you done. My family forced you into it I know that,” she continued. “I want you all to know I knew they planned to take some of your cattle to try and run you all off the land. Also I thought those plans had quit the day Jim and his boys were caught sneaking onto your land,” she said as she started to cry. “After you threatened them I had no idea they would continue with their plan or I would have put a stop to it. Now my boys are all gone,” she finished as she started to cry harder.
Bub and A.J. didn’t know what to say or do as they watched Mrs. Farland cry. Soph scooted her chair closer to Myra Farland and held her as she cried. “We don’t blame you Mrs. Farland at all,” Soph said comforting her. “We all know if you knew it was going to be violent at all you would have stopped it.”
“I also came here boys to let you know about Mike Farland,” the sheriff said. “He was mending up nicely and was at the point the judge was going to have him moved to the jail before his trail,” Sheriff Markel continued. “He ran off yesterday before my deputies could detain him. They are on the search for him but they haven’t been able to turn up anything yet.”
“Well that’s not good news,” Bub said as he struck a match to light his pipe. “I am not sure how involved he really was, but I do know he was part of the ambush that was here,” Bub said as he puffed on his pipe. “If it wasn’t for Ma and Pa showing up like they did Mike and Owen could have pinned us down in the house there for a while.”
“You are going to search for him personally too Sheriff?” A.J. asked.
“I will throughout our county yes, but that is as far as my jurisdiction lays boys I’m sorry.”
“How many of your heads of cattle have you lost now because of my family?” Myra Farland asked as she finally stopped crying.
“Mrs. Farland as of right now we really can’t say,” A.J. replied. “There was several hundred taken to begin with which were probably sold at the cattle auction by your husband,” he continued. “Then the day they ambushed us the first time we seen where they had shot about half of what was left. Since then the cattle have been scattered all over our land and with me still healing we haven’t had time to track them all down yet.”
“Well I didn’t come here to just apologize and cry on your all shoulders asking for forgiveness,” Mrs. Farland said. “I knew you all had kind enough hearts to forgive me without me even coming out here with the Sheriff,” she said. “I came to make things right between our families. The land we have has been in my husband’s family for years,” she continued. “Now there is no one to work that land the right way it deserves. I am moving back to Arkansas to live with my sister who lost her husband about three years ago,” she said pulling several pieces of paper from her satchel. “In exchange for the cattle you all have lost I want to give you and your family our land.”
A.J. and Soph looked at Bub who started choking on his pipes smoke. “You’re going to to do what?” Bub asked as his face turned red and his eyes teared up from coughing.
“I am going to give you all our land and everything on it,” Mrs. Farland repeated herself to the group. “The sheriff is here to sign as a witness to my signature on this here deed.”
“That is entirely too much Mrs. Farland,” Soph stated. “We don’t want you to leave and you personally don’t owe us anything.”
“Well dear it isn’t up to you. It’s my land to give now my husband and our sons are dead,” Myra said. “I already talked to your folks about it and they tried convincing me also to stay for a while and think on it,” she continued. “I have already made up my mind. There isn’t anything left for me here and I know you all will take good care of the land.”
“If you ever head back this way Mrs. Farland or change your mind please let us know and we will do what we can to get you back the land,” A.J. said still in disbelief.
“I know you all will,” she replied as she signed the deed, “but I won’t be back there is too many bad memories here now.”
Mrs. Farland stood up after signing the deed and hugged Soph, A.J., and Bub. “Sheriff please take me back to town so I can be on my way,” she said as she headed back towards the wagon.
“You folks take care and if anything comes up on Mike Farland I will be sure to let you all know,” Sheriff Markel said as he turned and escorted Mrs. Farland to the wagon.
“What are we going to do with all that land Bub,” A.J. asked as the Sheriff and Mrs. Farland rode out of sight.
Bub turned to him and smiled as he said, “I can only think of one person that knows what to do with that land and house A.J.”
20
Pa helped Ma up onto the seat of the wagon then climbed slowly up himself. As he grabbed the reins he stared at his wife next to him who had already started knitting as she usually did when she was sitting. He noticed her curly blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail just the way he liked it. He smiled to himself as he snapped the reins to alert the horses it was time to move.
“Erie I think a few days out in the country with our kids will be just what we need,” Pa said looking at his wife. “Sure has been a lot going on it seems like lately and we all could sure use a break.”
“I agree honey,” Ma replied. “I will enjoy spending a few days with my daughter while you boys ready that cabin and land they got from Myra Farland,” she continued as she smiled teasingly at him.
He smiled back and then his face turned serious as he said, “You know I wish I could get to be more helpful again.”
“You are helpful,” Ma said. “Rather you know it or not you giving our kids that land to work for themselves has provided for us all. They all Love us very much and they know they wouldn’t have had that land if it wasn’t for you. You gave them a way to make themselves a good future. We can’t watch over them forever honey, although I wish we could,” she said smiling.
“I know your right Erie,” Pa said, “it’s just hard coming to terms with the fact that our kids are grown now.”
Pa looked straight ahead as he drove the horse team and wagon towards his kid’s home on the ranch. After thinking for a while he looked at his wife, then noticing he was staring she looked back at him and smiled. He kissed her on the lips and said, “I hope them kids all know I will always be proud of them.”
Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won’t you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer?
Thank you very much,
R.B. Nease
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