“Somethin’ like that.” Rusty had never done much reading in the Book, though Mother Dora had read a lot to him when he was small. There had been times when things he saw happen around him made him wonder if the Word applied to Texas. He had seen too many good people die, like Daddy Mike and Mother Dora, Lon and Billy, while others like Caleb Dawkins and Fowler Gaskin lived on. That seemed a contradiction of the Scriptures.

Reconciling to the loss of his foster parents had taken him a long time. Even yet, something heard or seen or felt would bring them suddenly to mind. Remnants of old grief would sweep over him, reviving a painful sense of aloneness. That feeling had been renewed and intensified by his loss of Geneva. “It’s easy to say we ought to put such things behind us. I wish doin’ it was as easy as talkin’ about it.”

Captain Whitfield came onto the dog run as the men approached the cabin. He had left his cane inside. “Oscar, would you be ready to leave here in the mornin’?”

Pickett seemed pleased. He had evidently expected this. “Ready any time you are, Captain.”

“We’ve abused these good folks’ hospitality too long.”

Rusty assured him, “You could stay here all summer and not wear out your welcome.”

“I’m rarin’ to go and make sure nobody has carried off my farm.”

It did not take long for the three men to load their belongings after an early-morning breakfast. They had little to take with them. Whitfield tugged at his big mustache, eager to go, yet reluctant to say good-bye. He took a hard grip on Rusty’s hand.

Rusty said, “Sir, it’s been a pleasure and a privilege to serve under you.”

Whitfield blinked a couple of times. “Looks to me like the state government has fallen to pieces. I don’t know when it may ever decide that Texas needs to reorganize the ranger force. But if anybody asks me, I’ll tell them you’d make a good officer.”

Whitfield gave Rusty’s hand another shake, then turned quickly and climbed up into the wagon. Oscar Pickett said, “I better git too, before he runs off and leaves me.”

“You take good care of him.” Rusty figured the two old rangers would take care of each other.

Len Tanner hung back after Pickett set the wagon in motion. He twisted the reins in his hand and stared at the ground. “Damn it, Rusty, this is hard.”

“I know. I feel the same way.”

“I’m anxious to go see how Mama and Daddy are gettin’ along. But don’t you be surprised if I show up around here again one of these days.”

“I’ll be lookin’ for you.”

Tanner glanced toward the sisters on the dog run. “You watch out for them girls. They could hurt a man.”