“That’s what I figured. I’d probably use it up in a year or so, and then where’d I be?”

“Just another poor soul trampin’ around the country. Isaac York didn’t mean that to happen, and neither do I. You’d best stay at my place ‘til this all blows over.”

“But I got my field and my garden—”

“We can come over here every few days and take care of things like we did that other time.”

Shanty shook his head. “I don’t want to be a burden. I’ve tried not to be a bother to anybody. Most folks around here seem friendly enough to me.”

“You’d be no burden, you’d be a help. Seems like there’s always plenty to do.”

Shanty patted the dog. “OF Rough here, he’s used to this farm. I’m afraid if I taken him someplace else he’d up and run off.”

“Keep him tied for a couple of days. He’ll adjust to the change.”

“I’ll do some thinkin’ on it.” Shanty looked westward, where a red sunset was rapidly fading. “Gettin’ on toward dark. Late for travelin’. You’d just as well stay all night.”

Rusty considered. Given time, perhaps he could convince Shanty that he needed to get away from here. “I’m much obliged.”

“Then I’ll be fixin’ us a little supper. You mind corn bread and sow-belly?”

“Long as somebody else is fixin’ it, anything sounds good to me.”

For years, Shanty had slept in a shed while his owner slept in the cabin. Now that he owned the farm, Shanty slept indoors. He offered to share the cabin with Rusty, but it was small. They would have to move the table and chairs out into the yard to make room for spreading his blankets on the floor.

Rusty said, “I’ll sleep outside. I can hear better if somebody is comin’.”

“Whatever suits you is plumb fine with me.”

Rusty stayed up until late, sitting on a bench just outside the door, watching, listening.

Shanty came out with an old banjo and played a couple of tunes. Then he lapsed into silence, helping Rusty listen. “Ain’t nobody comin’. Don’t you reckon you’d ought to be gettin’ some sleep?”

“I’m rememberin’ another time I stayed here, and night riders came with a notion of runnin’ you off.”

“You ran them off, you and the sheriff.”

“But this is a different bunch, and Tom Blessing ain’t the sheriff anymore.”

“The Lord has always watched over me. He’ll keep on watchin’.”

“I’ve seen bad things happen to people who didn’t watch out for them-selves because they thought the Lord was doin’ it for them.”

“Well, when the time comes that He wants to call me home, I’m willin’ to go. I leave things to Him and don’t let worry mess with my sleep.”