"We went back to our room. On the pillows on the bed was a copy our photograph. It was large and framed. That is my favorite picture. I look my usual ...dashing self, but Pyx looked stunning. She was clinging to my arm with her usual shy smile. But there was a glow to her. I think the prospect of being married was the reason. Getting married meant more to her than she'd say to me. Maybe "living in sin" was more distressing to her than she'd ever let on. Her light blue ball gown matched her eyes,. The sky was crystalline blue and the wind from the south, bringing new warmth of the changing season. By midday when she ate a simple meal, it was warm enough to consider bathing in the stream. The water was cool but not frigid: prolonged immersion a delightful treat after a long winter quickly sponging bits exposed only long enough to get cleansed. Rebecca reveled in the pool that formed by the stream’s meander next to the tree until her fingers were wrinkled, then lay down in the sunlight on. The brave must have thought he got me, because he rose up, his war cry echoing off the rocks. He stopped in mid yell, because I blew most of his jaw off. The next round took the rest of his head.The sudden stillness was deafening and it took me a minute to recover. I was going to have a hellacious bruise on my hip where he’d hit my holster. I also had a shallow groove I didn’t remember getting on my left arm, right beside the one I got in Mexico.Scrambling back to the ridge I dusted off my. She showed me to the door and leaned in close, " You will start on Monday at 8.00 with my husband, he will show you the ropes." As she closed the door I was sure that she winked.``````````````````````````By the time Monday came around, I had procured my hair cut and now I possessed a much more manageable cropped crewcut and was ready to start my new career. The man who opened the door was as handsome as his wife was attractive. I looked up at the towering figure before me, well over six feet.