The reality of the situation is that after being separated for years I’m enjoying having my brother around. He makes sure that all of his men are on... their best behavior while they’re inside the town limits, but truth be told there have been several times when having them here has proven to be handy. Two weeks ago for instance we got word of a bunch of cowboys who’d just gotten back from taking their cattle on a long drive up to the railroad yard for sale. They were headed back home and had been. "Sorry, I always get stirred up when I think of that day," Bill said. "It was the last fire I ever went into." Claire said you saved six men that day, that you individually carried them out of the building, and that Ben was the last one."The faraway look in his eyes took him back to that precise moment, "I couldn't leave him behind," he said more to himself than Karen. "I wouldn't."He didn't feel the tear silently roll down the cheek closest to Karen. The thought of almost losing his best. I estimated, based on his receding hairline, that Clifford was definitely older than Crystal, probably by seven or eight years. He first insisted that we have something to drink and then he proceeded to introduce us to the other guests.The yard beyond the tent was spacious, and based on the number of bodies I soon decided this was the only party in the neighborhood. Along with their names, Clifford gave us a brief description of each person, old friend, loyal client or wife of old friend or. . I can't..." Bailey started to panic again. Her breaths came shorter. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She squeezed Gabe's hand as if her life depended on it."It's okay, Bailey," he said, stroking her hair calmly."Don't let them ... promise me..." She couldn't continue and burst into tears again. She began to hyperventilate."Would you excuse us for a moment?" Gabe asked her family. They solemnly filed out of the room and closed the door.He sat on the edge of the bed and held her close to him..