The Outlaw and His Family Series

By Judy Ingram

After the Civil War and seeing his plantation ravished, William shook
his fi st in the air and said, “I will get it all back.” Heading out west
William ran across two other men that was outraged as he was.
With revenge in mind the three men started their own gang to get
back the money from the government that was taken from them
during the Civil War. Will rode into Mexico to hide from the law after
robbing stage coaches and banks. There he met Angelina and fell
in love. Could he ever settle down after all of his excurisions? Could
he have a family and live a normal life like other people? Find out
about William and his family with their hardships and comebacks,
that could only be accomplished through Faith in God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796063592

Judy Ingram

I have lived many years. God gives wisdom through all the trials that we experience. When bad things happen, trust God to see you through and continue to give God all the glory. All that we encounter, we can use it to help others in their lives. Take what is handed to you and cause good from it. This series of books is meant for you to see that life continues on, so be faithful and true to the cause. Store up treasures in heaven, not on this earth. We will all be together soon in our new heaven and earth.

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 by Judy Ingram.

Library of Congress Control Number:    2019915469

ISBN:                  Hardcover                        978-1-7960-6361-5

                            Softcover                           978-1-7960-6360-8

                            eBook                                978-1-7960-6359-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 10/02/2019

Xlibris

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Contents

The Outlaw And His Family

William’s Revenge

The Children

Rae

William’s Retirement

D’Anna

Abigail

Lorisa

Ryon

Christmas Family Reunion

Continuance

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Epilogue

Author’s Note

Love Heals

The Outlaw and His Family

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The Visitors

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Lessons Of The Heart

From the Original The Outlaw and His Family

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

About the Story

Letters

Original from the Outlaw and His Family

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THE OUTLAW AND HIS FAMILY

To remembering D’Anna, Lorisa, and Sarah—three lovely maturing young adults. May God bless you all.

William’s Revenge

After the Civil War and after being released from the hospital months later, William Jefferson rode out to his old homestead. He became outraged as he saw the ravished farm. Riding his horse through the farm, he discovered that his father’s plantation was taken over by scalawags and carpetbaggers. There was absolutely nothing left. Everything that was in the house had been stolen or ransacked. The whole house was burned to the ground. William walked up to the burned-out house.

Knowing that his father kept his safe in his office, he walked through the charcoal and cold embers to where he believed the safe had been sitting. He scuffed his boot around on the spot where the safe used to be. A spark of gold gleaming from the sun showed through the blackened gold coin that must have fallen when the treasure was taken. William picked up the gold coin, rubbed off the smut, and put it into his pocket, wondering how it had happened.

The land looked like a tornado had passed through it. Becoming full of anger and frustration, he contemplated what to do next. He knew that he could not stay. He left his burned-out colonial home in Georgia with a new goal in mind. He had no choice but to move on. All he had was a worn-out horse, which he had finally won in a card game, and a new rifle. With only the clothes on his back, he set out west to find a more suitable place to set roots. He was not sure what he was going to do or where to start; he left it up to destiny. All he could think of was getting even with the ones who had claimed all the cherishable possessions of his beautiful plantation.

Everyone was gone. His parents were dead, and his only sister—well, he did not know where Marian was or how to find her. All was lost, and now leaving it behind, his only hope was to gain a new life for himself and find a way to fight the government his way. Thinking of revenge, with a fist in the air, he said, I will get it all back!

Traveling through Alabama, watching the sun as it was setting, he stopped on top of a ravine. Looking down into the beautiful flowering gully, he spotted a small fire below. Maybe they have something good to eat, thought William. The last meal that I had was a rabbit breakfast. Riding closer on his horse, he encountered two men at the campsite. As he approached the camp, he saw one man pull his pistol, leery of his surroundings. But William yelled out that he was friendly, so he was welcomed. Introducing himself, William said, Call me Will.

My name is Josh, and this is my brother Shane. We still have coffee and beans left if you would like to join us.

Thank you, I am famished, said Will. As they were talking, he realized that the two men were thinking on the same wavelength as he was. They had also lost their plantation in South Carolina. They had nowhere to go either, and they did not want to stay in South Carolina to be reminded of all they had lost. They were all very full of anger and rage, but what could they do? Sitting around the campfire, reminiscing about West Point and their childhood on the plantation with idle minds, Josh said to Shane, Well, the government has certainly scrutinized us. All I want to do is get revenge and restore what they owe me. I feel so angry and betrayed.

Will said, I’m sure we all feel the same. Doesn’t the stagecoach travel through every so often? That one statement set everyone on edge.

Pondering that statement, Shane said, Well, it is our money. They stole all that we had, and we should at least get some of it back. That is exactly when the gang started.

The very next morning as they headed toward Texas, surprisingly, they encountered a stagecoach coming from Georgia. Wow, just our luck.

With strategy on their side, they set out to rob the stagecoach. Running down the stagecoach, shooting their guns, and shouting out rebel yells, Will jumped on the stagecoach and stopped the horses.

With guns pointed at the driver, Josh said, Throw down the strongbox and move out.

I will, said the driver. Please, just don’t shoot. The driver, looking scared, threw down the strongbox and moved out as fast as he could.

Well, that went down perfectly. Even though there wasn’t much money in the strongbox, it is enough for food and new clothes, said Will.

That was so well done. I am ready for the next one, Josh said, with pride in his heart.

Include me in, said Will and Shane at the same time.

This newsprint that was in the strongbox reads that a shipment of gold and passengers very well guarded will come next week, Will stated.

Yeah, said Shane, they think just because it is well guarded that it would deter us, but we are very good. Let’s go for it. They scoured the territory to pick out just the right spot for an ambush and waited for its arrival. As the stagecoach approached, they spotted three riflemen guarding the coach—two riding outside on the buckboard, one on each side of the driver, and one inside—and maybe two passengers.

Hey, guys, no problem, we all went to West Point and were top shooters in our class even though we were a couple years apart. What do we have but Providence on our side? Will continued, Since we are so good then, let’s just try to injure the guards and not kill them. The war is over.

Who are you, Will—a softy? But what a challenge. That will prove how good we really are. We can go for the shoulders or legs. The real challenge is if you can shoot the guns out of their hands. We each pick a guard and take a shot. The hardest will be the one riding inside the coach, said Josh.

I’ll take him, said Will. Always did like the hard jobs just to prove myself. At the count of five, we will all shoot at the same time. But wait, they are slowing down. Looks like someone needs to relieve themselves. To our advantage. The stagecoach came to a stop. As soon as the guard from inside the coach stepped out, the two guards on top jumped down from the same side. The gang counted to five, and all fired in unison. Each guard fell to the ground.

Let’s ride over fast, said Shane.

As the three riders approached the coach with guns held out and masks on their faces, Will told the two ladies who had gotten out of the compartment and were now peering around the corner of the coach and shaking in their boots, Do not be afraid. We will not harm you. That seemed to ease them a little.

The riders checked out the guards, put them into the compartment with the ladies, and told the driver to take them swiftly to a doctor. With loot in hand, they headed southwest. Only traveling a short distance, they found a cave to hide in.

When the stagecoach barreled into town, there was a big ruckus. The driver of the stage yelled for someone to get the doctor. As people gathered to see the commotion, they asked, What happened?

We were robbed, and all the guards were shot. A gang of three men attacked us and stole all the gold. Thank God that they let us go.

The sheriff came running over to investigate the situation. What in the world happened?

The stagecoach driver was telling the sheriff what had happened, while the ladies were telling everyone else about the robbery. The sheriff said, I can’t believe it. You mean there were only three in the gang, and you all let just three men shoot you and rob the gold? They must be very good. Can you describe them?

Not really, said the driver. They had on masks, but you could tell that they were rebels because they gave the rebel call.

Sounds like war veterans. We need to be on the lookout, mentioned the sheriff. I will notify the marshal.

That was a big one. Let’s divide this up, scatter for a while, and meet back here in about six months until things start to die down, said Josh. So they all agreed and went their separate ways. William headed toward Mexico.

After many days of traveling, William came to San Carlos in Mexico, where he refreshed himself with a long hot bath, purchased new clothes, and bought a younger horse. After asking the stable owner where the best food in town could be found and following the man’s pointed finger, William went into a canteen/café that was noted for their delicious food, smelling the delightful aromas. The canteen was one large room with a small bar and ten round tables with four wooden chairs each. There were several tables already taken. It looked very neat and well-kept, with smaller rooms and a kitchen in the back with swinging doors.

A beautiful senorita served him, and he kept eyeing her. She was so full of life. He asked her what her name was, and she said, My name is Angelina Salinas.

That is a pretty name for such a very beautiful lady. This made Angelina smile and blush, but she was thinking about how handsome he was himself.

Thank you. What is your name, senor?

My name is William Jefferson from Georgia. Have you ever heard of Georgia?

Yes, I do know the States. You are a long way from home. Did the war bring you out this way?

You can say that I am looking for new roots to call my own.

A few minutes later, a couple of men came in and stood at the bar. Angelina said, Excuse me, I have customers to wait on.

When she walked over to the bar, the men started flirting with Angelina, but she seemed to be very annoyed. William stepped in, towering over them as he was a foot taller, and said, The lady does not seem to be interested. Isn’t that right, Angelina?

Angelina said, Yes, but I do not want any trouble. William eyed the two men, and they backed away and left the café.

After closing the café, Angelina allowed William to walk her home, but they did not have to walk far because Angelina was the daughter of the owner of the canteen and she lived next door. Thank you for coming to my rescue. I was not sure what I was going to do, except call for my brother, who was in the back, cooking.

Angelina, that was no problem at all. I’m glad that I was there to help. Do you have any leisure time, and do you ride? If you’d like, I will bring an extra horse, and we could go for a ride tomorrow. And you can show me around town. Maybe you could help refresh my Spanish. Would you like to help me out?

Yes, I will show you our little town and introduce you to some of my friends. I enjoy riding, and it sounds like fun.

William saw her every day, and he became very fluent in Spanish.

Thank you for helping me with my Spanish. I believe that you have learned a lot yourself in speaking English. We have helped each another. They say one good turn deserves another. I believe that I am falling in love with you. I hope the feelings are mutual. If not, let me know now, and I will move along.

William, I am having the same feelings, and I love you more as each day goes by. I do not want you to leave. I will be very heartbroken. Please stay.

I am very relieved and pleased to hear you say that. I will stay as long as you want.

After about four months, William’s money was running low.

He told Angel (his pet name for her), Angel, I need to leave for a little while. I need to see about a job that I have lined up. When I get back, I want us to get married. Will you wait for me?

I will be here when you get back. Do not stay away too long. He gave her the money that he had and stocked up on grub. Promising to be back, he left.

Josh and Shane waited for Will to arrive at their secret hiding place. Two days later, Will showed up. You did make it, Will. I was beginning to wonder if you got cold feet.

I am here and ready to be reimbursed for my loss. What have you found out about the stagecoach schedule?

Shane got a schedule from the trading post. We studied it, and we are just in time for the next stage shipment. It will arrive tomorrow around dinnertime, so let’s get set up.

I am game, waiting and ready to do my part, said Will.

Good, we will get together and plan all this out. We do not want any mishaps or—

Shane butted in, No mishaps on our part. Remember, we are the best. All will be well.

The stage robbery went down better than anticipated. The passengers were very helpful. One lady had a small child, and no one wanted to see anybody get hurt.

Mommy, what are the men doing, and why did we have to stop?

Well, Danny, do you remember when you and Daddy played robbers and outlaws?

Yes, Mommy, I remember. Is that what these masked men are doing?

Yes, sweetheart, it is all a game, and we will soon be on our way.

One man wanted to be a hero and tried to hide behind a lady. Will had an eye on him. He saw the man reach into his coat slowly, but Will was there before the man had a chance to notice. The man was looking at Shane. Will just grabbed the man’s hand, and a small pistol dropped to the ground. Shane picked up the derringer and put it into his pocket.

As the gang was getting back onto their horses, Danny said, That was fun! I hope we can play again. When we get back home, I will tell Daddy all about it. The gang laughed and rode off.

Six months passed before William could get back to Angel. By that time, Angelina discovered she was pregnant. But she was so in love with William that the baby was much welcomed. Her parents, being Catholic, were heartbroken. Angelina, you are alone in this. That man will never come back. But since Angelina was their daughter, they took very good care of her.

William did come back, much to her surprise and happiness. Her parents told William that they had to get married. He promised them that they would. He stayed until their first baby boy was born. Angelina named him Rafael. After a year, William told her that he had to leave for a while to see about a job that was waiting for him in the States, then he would be back.

William had a small house built next door to Angelina’s parents for her and the children. Her parents’ house was getting a little too crowded for all of them. For several years, Angelina and William lived together without marriage. William was always on the go, but the promise was always there. Each year, William would return to help the family. He taught his oldest son how to count and deal with money. His son was so enthused that he learned all the tricks and trades of a banker and how to be a good businessman. William was proud of his son.

Finally, after a few years and dealings with stagecoach and bank robberies, William decided it was time to get married. He had a nest egg now. He had kept Angelina waiting long enough. Angel, it is long past the time that we should have been married. Also, I made your parents a promise. I am ready to keep that promise. When can you be ready for our wedding?

William, let us go to my parents, and we can make the arrangements. So William and Angelina talked with her parents. Then Angelina and William went to talk with the priest.

You are obligated to bring your children up in the church. I hope you will decide to do that, said the priest.

William said, I have no problem with that. Angelina is very devoted to the Catholic faith, and her choice is mine.

Then the children will be baptized soon after the wedding.

Thank you, Father Brent. We will make arrangements for our children to be baptized. We will discuss this later on, said Angelina.

The marriage took place in the little Catholic chapel with the entire family and their children. Again William had to leave to take care of his job. While he was gone, the children were baptized and dedicated to the church.

On the way back to Mexico, William ran across a man on the streets selling homemade wooden crosses. He knew that Angelina would love to have one because she was religious, so he bought her a plain circled wooden cross necklace with a gold chain. When he returned home, he kissed her and fastened the wooden cross around her neck, and she never took it off. William was ready to settle down for a while.

During the birth of their sixth child, complications set in. As Angelina was dying, she unfastened the wooden cross necklace. Placing it into William’s hands, she said, "Please remember me and take very good care of our niños. You know that I do not want to leave you and our family, but you also know that I will be happy in heaven."

With her last dying breath, she kissed William and held her hand out to the children, who were in the room with her, to come to her bedside. The children ran over to her and sat on her bed, while Ryon and Lorisa lay down on the bed, wrapping their arms around her. William could not speak; his heart was hurting with grief. Angelina’s mother, while holding baby Billy, went over to the crying and grieving children and took them out of the room. She was thinking, Could this be consequences from her past choices? William could not handle the situation; after the funeral, he left money with the Salinases to help care for the children and left.

About every two years or so, William would return to give money to support his family. He made Angelina a promise; not only that, but he also loved his children and wanted the best for them.

They were beginning to mature into young adults now. He made sure that they were very well educated. William taught the boys how to work in finance, how to shoot a gun, and how to be honorable Southern gentlemen. He taught the girls how to ride a horse and how to treat others with Southern hospitality. William also made sure that the girls knew how to sew and knit.

The children learned to speak English, as well as Spanish. He taught them all how to read and write. Their mother and grandmother had taught them how to grow a garden and can and preserve food. They taught them how to raise chickens for their eggs and meat and how to pluck, wash, and use their feathers for bedding. They even taught them how to cook, helping in the café.

William was pleased with how well the children caught on to their lessons and how well they utilized their time. He was getting restless. Then a time came when William did not return at all.

The Children

After his eighteenth birthday, William’s first son, Rafael (Rae) decided that he did not want to live in Mexico anymore. He wanted to explore the USA, especially Texas. The kid got a lot of ridicule from friends and neighbors because they were a mixed race.

He spoke with his oldest sister. D’Anna, I do not feel very welcome here anymore. My childhood friends are turning against me just because I am different from them. Now that we have grown, I have been thinking about moving to the States. I heard Father say that the States is a wonderful and marvelous place. The land is healthy and seems to go on forever. I believe he has given me the urge to find a place of our own.

Rafael, I am glad that you are asking my opinion. I will miss the Salinas family here, but we need a place to call our own. I am ready for new adventures. We will talk with the others and see how they feel about this. But no matter what, they are younger and may not understand now. We have to make the decision for them.

Rae called all his hermanos together and said, D’Anna and I have made a decision to move across the border into the States. We are thinking about Texas. So let’s gather up our belongings, and we will head out tomorrow morning.

I want to stay here, said Billy. I am afraid of other places.

We understand that. But we will all be together, and we will be safe. It will be fun and will be a great adventure. Remember how much you fantasize about other places? said D’Anna.

Yes, those places are magic. I am ready to go.

Rae and D’Anna talked with their grandparents and told them about their decision.

Their grandparents said, We respect your decision, and we do understand. You all are a little different from our neighbors. You have so much of your father in you. Please be careful and do let us hear from you.

After packing the small covered wagon that Rae had purchased from a missionary couple who moved into Mexico, they said goodbye to Abuelo and Abuela, tears staining their faces.

As they came to the border, Rae told D’Anna to put on her charm because her beauty could get her anywhere. Both Rae and D’Anna had black hair and lovely blueberry eyes. Rae said to them, Remember to speak only English, and all the children said sí. Rae looked at them with a funny smirk, and they all laughed together. They also used their father’s last name instead of their mother’s name.

At the border, because the hermanos did not really resemble their mother but instead looked more like their father’s side of the family, they made their way across the border into Texas. The story that they told was so bizarre that the border control police believed them. Rae hated to tell a lie, but they needed to get out of Mexico. It wasn’t a complete lie. They were half Caucasian, and they did have kin north of the border somewhere.

Rae knew that he had to find a job to keep his family together. As they traveled, Rae concentrated on what kind of job he wanted and where to find it. Now that they were close to town, he made a camp outside the town and used the covered wagon as a temporary home. They camped close to a creek with large trees nearby.

Going into the town of Austin, Rae went into a couple of banks to see if there were any job openings. Wells Fargo was so impressed with Rae’s expertise with money and his business skills that they hired him on the spot.

During the interview, one manager asked Rae, How did you learn to be so brilliant in money matters?

Rae said, I had a good teacher, and I got plenty of experience from working in a canteen/café. People brought in all kinds of money. Now the family could settle down.

After a month, the children were getting restless. They did not complain, but Rae felt the same way. Rae, how long do we have to stay here in this dinky covered wagon? We try to keep it clean, but it is so cluttered with all our stuff. With a little dissatisfaction, D’Anna was ready for something different.

Ryon and I will sleep under the wagon so we can give you girls plenty of room.

Lorisa came in. Thank you, Rae and Ryon. But we are not growing smaller but bigger, and we are all running out of room.

Abby butted in. They are right. It is time to move on. Maybe we all can get a job and find a new place.

Billy said, I don’t know why you are all complaining. I love it here by the creek. I still have many adventures to explore.

You all are right. I have been looking into a place that is in foreclosure. The owners just packed up and left a few months ago without paying the mortgage and never left a word. Pray that if all goes well, we will be leaving this place soon. The ranch is only a few miles from town. Ryon and I are riding out tomorrow to take a look at it.

We will all be praying and hoping that it works out. Thank you, said D’Anna.

Rae bought the ranch with the money that he had saved from his father’s excursions. Of course, he did not know what kind of job his father had. William had never told them, and they never asked. They were all tired of living in such closed quarters in the covered wagon. They were ready for a change. The ranch had plenty of room for everyone.

When the family got close to the ranch house, Rae was thinking about a name for it. As they arrived, the children just whooped and hollered, and they were grateful for a place so large. There was room for everybody and everything.

Now since we are here, we all have to agree on a name. Everyone has to agree until we all agree together. Everyone looked around at the ranch and its surroundings with puzzled expressions on their faces.

How about the Jefferson Ranch? That is our name, said Billy. We used that name to cross the border.

I was looking for something a little more elaborate for a ranch, one that we can relate to, mentioned Rae.

We all relate to our parents, said Abby.

Yes, we do. That is something to concentrate on. Keep going, said Rae.

We know that Father gave Mother that necklace. It was real meaningful to our parents, came in Ryon.

The Cross Ranch does not exactly sound fitting, said Lorisa.

Let me see, said D’Anna. The cross is surrounded by a circle with a lovely gold chain.

That is it! said Rae.

What do you mean? Tell us, Rae, said D’Anna.

Okay, said Rae, the circle and the cross—the Circle Cross Ranch.

Ryon expressed a familiar smile and said, I believe that is the perfect name for our ranch. Do we all agree to call her the Circle Cross Ranch?

I love it, expressed D’Anna, Abby, and Lorisa at the same time. They all agreed to name it the Circle Cross Ranch after their mother’s love for the wooden cross.

Do you agree too, Billy? Ryon asked.

It sounds good to me.

The ranch needed a little work, but that was no problem. The children were excited; they would work hard on making it a home. They all set out to do their best. Rae and Ryon started repairing the barn and the fences for the corral. Billy went around exploring the ranch to see what he could find. Billy, do not go too far. We have not tested the land yet, said Ryon.

I will be very careful! yelled out Billy, as he was already on his way. Ryon and Rae had put the horses out in the meadow at the time. Later, breeder horses and cattle would be added.

Walking behind the barn, Billy discovered a sleeping dog, which looked part hound. Billy coaxed the dog, and the dog finally walked up to Billy. Billy had a piece of bread in his pocket that was left over from breakfast. He handed it to the dog, and the dog gobbled it up. Looks like you are hungry. Come with me, and we will see what my sisters have for food. I believe that I will call you Bo. You look so bony.

The girls all got buckets, mops, and cloths and started cleaning the kitchen. It was really very lovely; it just needed a little tender love and care. After a while, the girls were beginning to get tired. They were working so hard; they were ready to move in. D’Anna said, I will make lunch for us, and we all can take a break.

After our break, let us start cleaning the house. The kitchen looks okay, but we can finish it later. I am ready to get the house clean enough so that we can move in tonight, said Abby.

You are right, Abby. The house it is. I am ready too, agreed D’Anna.

Oh, that sounds good to me. Do we have any leftovers from Katie’s café? We can make sandwiches from that delicious roast beef, Lorisa said, holding her rumbling stomach.

I will check the cooler and see what we have left, said D’Anna. The cooler that they used was a bucket with water on the bottom and a lid to cover the water. Food was placed on top, and a lid was used to cover the whole bucket. When the water was cool enough, the food lasted quite a while.

Where is Billy? asked D’Anna.

I will call him, said Ryon. He took off exploring the ranch. Billy, Billy!

Billy came around the house with a pitiful dog following him.

Billy, where did that poor dog come from? asked Abby.

I found him behind the barn. Can we keep him? He is friendly, begged Billy, looking a little hopeful. He is starving, and we need to feed him.

Oh, Billy, you come up with the most unusual surprises, said Ryon.

He can have the leftovers. That is all that he can have, said D’Anna.

After eating lunch, Billy said to them, Bo and I are going to explore the stream. We won’t be long.

Please be careful, and let us know what you find, said Rae, remembering his exploring days.

Everyone got back to work. The girls headed toward the house.

Now, said D’Anna, we all have to pick what room we would like to have. We can let Rae have the master bedroom on the first floor. After all, he is the oldest and our protector. If anyone approaches, he will be the first to hear them.

Running upstairs, the girls stopped and looked around. Actually, I would love to have the front bedroom if you two agree. The window overlooks the front, and I really like this view, said D’Anna. I can see a little of the ranch next to us from here.

Walking around, Abby said, I believe we should save the back bedroom for Ryon because the view from the window overlooks the back part of the house, and knowing him, he would choose this room anyway. It really is very pretty. I would like to have a room between you, D’Anna and Lorisa. So if you don’t mind, Lorisa, I would like to have this room. We both will have a view overlooking the side and watching the sun come up.

That will work for me, said Lorisa. I am a morning person, and I get up with the sun and go down with the sun. A perfect setting. I am just so happy to have my own room. I feel so very blessed and full, though I will be glad when Rae hires a cook for us because this work is just too much with all that we need to do. I would like to find a job in town and make a little money to buy bedroom furniture. She was dreaming of a mystical room.

That will all come. Be patient and take it one day at a time. Don’t rush. Let’s just enjoy working together to make our dreams come true, added D’Anna, looking at her sisters.

That evening, after supper in the kitchen, they all gathered in the living room of the house. Well, said Rae, have you all figured out where our sleeping quarters will be?

Yes, we have. And, Rae, the master bedroom is yours. How does that sound? said D’Anna.

That sounds good to me. I will just go right in and inspect it now.

After coming back out of the bedroom, he said, You girls have made the right choice. I can trust you in your decision-making. I am glad that I do not have to think about these things. Ryon and I have others things to think about. Thank you, now I will retire to my very own room. Good night, all.

Everyone said good night and walked upstairs to their new dreams. Billy, you will sleep in the large playroom that we made into a bedroom especially for you. Come on, wait until you see it. You will love it. Later, we will decorate it to your liking. How does that sound?

It sounds fine. I am just ready for sleep.

And last but not least, Ryon, we saved the back bedroom for you. You will love the large window that overlooks the back. Come, let us show you. You can see the stream from here. It is a beautiful sight. The girls escorted Ryon to his new room.

This is just marvelous. I love it! Thank you, D’Anna, Abby, and Lorisa. You all have made an excellent choice. Good night, I am ready to retire.

They all said good night and went to their own bedrooms, with plans to decorate the whole house and add the furniture that was needed, which was a lot. It would take a while, but it is all worth the wait. Everything had been cleaned. The girls could settle down and concentrate on sewing new clothes for everyone.

As the years went by, Rae being twenty-two, D’Anna being twenty, Abby being eighteen, Ryon being seventeen, Lorisa being fourteen, and Billy being ten years old going on eleven, the family was finally settled on their ranch and doing excellent. They all had been taught well. New furniture that they had picked out for themselves had arrived from the furniture store in town. Rae allowed his family to choose their own style of furniture. The girls decorated Billy’s room to his liking, and he enjoyed his bedroom. Rae and Ryon preferred to decorate their own bedrooms. They wanted to make sure there was no frilly stuff in it.

Several months after they were settled, the town had a meeting at the mercantile store about building a church for the county and hiring a preacher. The circuit rider was Joe Hodges, and he was ready to have a place that his family could call home. Pastor Hodges was married and had two children, and it was time for them all to be together and settle down in one place. His wife, Helen, had followed him faithfully and never complained. Joe Hodges knew in his heart that she was very happy with the new arrangements. The children, Nancy and Luke, showed their joy also. They finally have a place of their own. The parsonage was built next to the church.

Even with all the work at the ranch, D’Anna, Abby, and Lorisa would bring them a meal once a week until they got settled.

Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoy the meals that you bring us so much. It gives me a little more time to get the chores done. Nancy and Luke are going to have a brother or sister in about seven months. Not having to cook gives me more time to get the house settled. God bless you for all your thoughtfulness. The children love your meals, and we are so grateful.

We are so glad that you are here. Let us know if we can be of further assistance, said D’Anna.

While Rae and Ryon were checking out the land on horseback for fences to be mended, they saw a rider approaching them. When the rider got close, he waved and said, Hello, are you my new neighbor? My name is John Ingram, and I heard a rumor that a new family had moved in.

Hello, said Rae. This is my brother Ryon. We just bought the ranch recently and we’re trying to fix it up. We are new at ranching. Maybe you can help us hire a foreman and some ranch hands.

I have been around for a while, and this county has the best ranch hands anywhere. Sometimes the ranchers share ranch hands to keep them in a job all year round. I will send a few over, and you can talk to them about what needs to be done. They are very capable men.

Rae and Ryon hired ranch hands and remodeled the bunkhouse. Everything was beginning to fall in place. The ranch was a very lovely setting with a few small hills, an active stream flowing behind the house, and rolling meadows to view from the living room window. The trees could be seen from a long distance. Standing on the back porch, you could see a small hill overlooking the stream, lined with tall trees. The living room was large; it went all the way from the front to the back, with a door that opened onto the back porch. Downstairs also had a library and a master bedroom and a nursery room off to the side that was later turned into a sewing room. The upstairs had four more bedrooms and a large playroom.

After having lunch one day, Rae, Ryon, and Billy rode into town for more supplies. On the way back home, they came across a man and a woman living in a tent. Look, Rae, this looks very interesting. Let us stop and inquire, said Ryon. Rae stopped and asked them why they were pitched on his land. Standing close to each other, the couple was very nice and told Rae that they were just passing through. They were cooks from a Southern plantation and had left to find their own land after the war. But they were weary by now and needed a job and wanted to settle down. What little money they owned had run out. Rae, feeling sorry for them, asked, What kind of work are you looking for?

Eleasor said, We will take whatever we can find, but we were the best cooks in the entire South. Neighbors often visited the plantation where we worked as slaves, just to eat our cooking. But the missus would never give out any of our recipes. Now no one can enjoy our elegant meals.

Thinking, Rae said, "Well, that being true, you have squatted on the right property. We are looking for a fine cook. Are you two