were in his entourage, and all of them doubting Thomases. More would
have ventured out if they hadn't been afraid of the possibility of
stepping on a rattlesnake.
The conductor was out of breath by the time he reached the top of the
hill. He looked down, let out a startled gasp, and whispered, 'Dear
God, it's true.' The group stood with their heads bowed in silent
prayer as they watched a fisherman drag a body out of the lake.
Black Creek Junction was a quiet little town in the middle of an
isolated and desolate stretch of land. There wasn't a tree or a bush
or a flower for as far as the eye could see. The sunsets were the
town's only vanity. Each day as the sun descended, orange shards of
light struck the red clay soil and the western sky exploded in color,
giving the appreciative audience the illusion that the horizon was on
fire.
Those who stood in the town square swore that they could see flames
dancing across the land. It was a spectacular sight, made even more
magical when old man Towers felt up to playing his fiddle. The
townspeople told newcomers that they had actually seen flickering
flames keeping time to the fiddler's tunes.
Grace was transfixed by the magnificent sunset and was watching the
phenomenon from the train.
Though reluctant to pull her away from the window, Daniel had to be
practical. 'We only have an hour to eat and stretch our legs, ' he
reminded her.
The mention of food reminded her how hungry she was. She put on her
gloves and her hat and followed him down the corridor.
'Do you wear your gloves everywhere you go? ' he asked.
'A lady must always wear her gloves in public.' He smiled as he shook
his head. She was so very proper all the time, ridiculously so, and
sweet . . . Lord, but she was sweet. He wondered how proper she'd be
in bed. The second the thought popped into his head, he pushed it
aside.
'Do you think you'll be able to eat a little something? ' she asked.
'Has your stomach settled down? ' 'Quit fussing over me. I'm fine. '
Dinner was being served inside a two-story way station on the outskirts
of town, about half a block from the depot. Daniel hadn't even stepped
off the train when he was summoned.
'Marshal Ryan? ' He turned and saw a heavyset, bowlegged man running
