Chapter Text
The next day, Lucas allowed Mark to skip a school day so he could help load the wagon, hitch the team, and prepare the Duncan family for their trip back home. Emma took one last look at the farm. She climbed onto the seat and picked up the reins. ‘Let’s go… Daniel, Lizzie… say your farewells.’
Lucas picked up Lizzie and kissed her cheek. ‘God bless you, little one.’ He handed her up to her mother.
Mark shook Daniel’s hand. ‘Sure hate to see you go,’ Mark said. ‘I was gonna ask you to help me with my homework!’
‘Look at it this way, Mark - with me gone you have a shot at bein' the top student again.’ The boys laughed. Daniel climbed up to the seat. With a cheery wave, the family began their journey home.
‘Well, Mark, we have some work to do to get this old place ready to sell,’ said Lucas.
‘Pa, I don’t understand somethin’. Lizzie shot her dad, right?’
‘Yeah, son, she did. The judge ruled self-defense, remember?’
‘I know, Pa, but what happened to the gun?’
‘Well, son, what you didn’t know was that Lizzie overheard an argument between her brother and mother before the murder. Seems neither of them could bring themselves to resolve the situation. In her mind, Lizzie was takin' charge - she meant to set things right, even if it meant killin' her own father. Emma said her husband was about to hit her again when the shots rang out. Lizzie couldn’t reach that gun belt, so she dragged a chair over to take the gun out of the holster. That’s what I saw when I went through the house - that empty gun belt.
Then, afterward, Emma was in shock that her youngest had killed her father. She wanted to protect her, so she threw the gun in the well and told her kids to be quiet about it. That’s about the time Micah and I showed up when she tried to lay the blame on a man who didn't exist. Then Daniel decided he was gonna take the blame to cover for Lizzie.
Son, I helped old man Johnson dig that well. It was so deep we had to wall the sides with stone and mortar. The well is that gun’s grave. Let it and all it stood for rest in peace.’
‘All right, Pa.’
‘Now that we’ve completed a day’s work, how about dinner at the Madera House?’
‘Honest?’
Lucas nodded, grinning.
‘Yippee!!’ Mark shouted. He raced to Latigo, mounted in a flash, and danced the pony in circles as he waited for Lucas. ‘Race you there, Pa!’
Lucas McCain grinned, mounted Razor, and took off at a gallop after his son.
THE END