When they arrived back at the farm, Hodge and Sarah were very happy to see them. They hugged them and talked for a long time.
"Everything go alright here?" Cale asked.
"Everything went good. No problems. Glad you are back, it's beginning to get cold again." Hodge smiled. "Who is this?"
Hodge pointed to Mark who sat in the rocking chair and waited to be included in the conversation.
"This is Amelia's cousin, Mark. He's going to be living with us, helping out." Cale explained. "We need to expand the size of the house and do some repairs on the barn. And maybe, just maybe we'll make a farmer of him."
"Good, lots of work here. I am Hodge and this is Sarah my wife." Hodge introduced her. "We are glad you have come along."
Mark smiled. "I've heard a lot of good things about the two of you. I’m pleased to meet you."
Amelia and Sarah went off into the bedroom to talk.
"Well…you did not stay with fiancé?" Sarah asked.
"No, he was married to my other cousin." Amelia smiled.
Sarah shook her head. "He did not wait for you?"
"No, he did not wait." Amelia said lowly.
"Then now you can marry Cale…"
Amelia looked down at the floor. "I don't know. He hasn't asked me yet."
"Why not?"
"I don't know. He told me he cares for me, but after we found out about Bertram, he didn't ask me to marry him, only to come with him, here."
Sarah studied that a moment. "I know he loves you, I see it in his eyes, every time he says your name or looks at you, I see it. He loves you…"
"I know I love him…" Amelia sighed.
Sarah's eyes widened and she smiled. "That is very good. I am so happy for you."
"Well, don't be too happy. As I said he hasn't asked me yet. He's been kind of quiet since we left San Antonio. Something is on his mind I guess."
"Don't worry. I get Hodge to find out." Sarah smiled impishly.
"I'd really like to know what's on his mind. In San Antonio, he…well…he told me how he felt about me. I think he loves me. Something is holding him back now and I'm not sure what it is. He knows I don't love Bertram." Amelia admitted. "Back in San Antonio, he kissed me…and the way he kissed me…I just knew he loved me. Now, he's acting differently. Maybe he's changed his mind." Amelia cried.
Sarah shook her head. "Cale not…how you say—fickle."
"No, he isn't. But something is on his mind." Amelia said and hung her head. "Maybe I said something that has him doubting me. Maybe I reacted wrong, or I don't know what it is, but it's killing me. I love him Sarah, truly."
"He brought you back didn't he? He loves you, I know that. You are right, something is on his mind. We find out and I tell you." Sarah promised.
As they were about to join the others Sarah turned to look at Amelia. "You not sorry about your fiancé are you?"
"No, not at all. If anything I'm happy it's all over. I want to get on with my own life. I want to make a home and a family."
"Good."
Sarah and Amelia prepared a big meal and they were all so famished they didn't waste any time devouring it.
When the meal was over, Mark went out on the porch to smoke. Cale followed him.
"Want to take a look at the place?" Cale offered.
"I'd like that." Mark agreed.
They walked off, as Amelia peeked outside to see what they were doing.
"Cale likes Mark. I'm so glad."
Sarah told Hodge what Amelia had told her. "He want you as his woman. I know this. But he not ask. I will speak with him." Hodge promised.
"Thanks, Hodge."
Hodge went outside and joined the men.
"I want you to know something Mark." Cale was telling Mark as they looked around the barn.
"What's that?"
"I'm in love with Amelia. I have been since I met her. She is so strong in so many ways and doesn't even realize it. She's beautiful. And she's the kind of woman I can love easily. But she was spoken for when I met her. That's why I insisted we needed to find Bertram so she could make up her mind about him. I didn't want to put any pressure on her about it. I think she loves me too. But since you’re her only family, I wanted to ask your permission to marry her."
Mark studied Cale for a moment, and then glanced at Hodge who was listening too.
"I think it's grand. She needs someone. She's been through so much. All I ask is that you treat her right and love her. She deserves that."
"Yes she does, and more." Cale added. "But…there is a problem."
"Oh?"
Cale mashed the toe of his boot into the ground. "There's this fella, Dolby. He killed my mother and three sisters. I've got to confront him once and for all."
"Killed your mother and sisters?" Mark repeated and gasped. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am. But I can't prove it. I've got to settle things with him before I can ask her to marry me. I wouldn't want it to come between us. It's just something I feel I have to do. The law won't do anything without proof. I have none. Amelia doesn't like guns. And there will be gunplay I can promise that. So, I've got to get this taken care of before I ask her."
Mark stared into his eyes. "You're talking about some kind of showdown? Aren't you?"
"Yes. With Dolby it's all he'll understand."
"Does she know about this?"
"She knows I suspect him. That I want to even the score."
Mark shook his head. "Then I think you better settle it before you ask for my cousin's hand in marriage. I'd hate for you two to marry then you get killed by this outlaw Dolby."
"I just wanted you to know." Cale told him. "It's the reason I've hesitated to ask her. I wanted to the minute I found out Bertram was married. Then I realized that this thing between Dolby and me isn't settled. I've got to settle it first. And she might not understand that. She hates guns and killing. She told me that a while back."
Hodge had been quiet and suddenly he shook his head. "It is not good, friend Cale."
"What?" Cale jerked about to look at Hodge.
"White squaw has been through a lot of things. She has suffered greatly. If you do this, this will hurt her too. She loves you. You love her. Maybe you forget about Dolby and just get on with life." Hodge insisted.
"I can't forget what he did. Him and his men raped my three sisters, you know that. They are out there in that cemetery today. How can I forget about it? It stares me in the face every time I come home. I have to end it for my sake and for Dolby's." Cale fisted his hands at his side.
Hodge saw the reaction and shook his head. "Not good. If you do this, if you knew you would do this, you should never have brought her back here. You will hurt her."
"This has nothing to do with Amelia. She isn't involved and I want to keep it that way. This is between Dolby and me. It's time to finish it, Hodge. I have to finish it. I thought you above everyone else would understand that."
"Not good." Hodge said and walked away. "Iron Kettle went peaceably to the reservation. He did not want to leave the river and go. But he did. He humbled himself for peace. Sometimes peace costs more than war. You war with Dolby. It is not good."
Cale turned to Mark who was frowning. "You can't prove he did it?"
"No."
"Then friend, you need to walk away from it." Mark suggested.
"If it were your kin, what would you do?" Cale's patience was running thin and his voice rose with every word he spoke.
Mark shrugged. "I did nothing when Amelia was captured. Nothing. Now today, I'm sorry for that. Then I think about it, and I know I'd have been killed if I had tried to save her. I went after her several times, but I'm no tracker. I didn't know what I was looking for. It was a waste of time. But there wasn't a day went by I didn't worry about her. I know how you feel, actually, I think I do, but having a showdown with this character, I don't know. Will it help you? Will it help Amelia? Would you be better off if this man was dead? Would you be better off if you went to jail for his death? You gotta think about this…"
"I have done nothing but think for a long time now. It's time to do something." Cale insisted.
"Why don't you think about it a little more? You've got a chance to have a lady that loves you, a family, a home. You want to throw it away for five seconds of pleasure of seeing justice done. With no evidence, if you kill the man, you'll go to jail. If he wins, you die, and Amelia is alone again. I see nothing good coming from all of that." Mark shook his head. "I don't think Amelia deserves that."
"She doesn't. And you are right. I'll study on it a while. I do love her. More than anyone I've ever known, but…Dolby has been a sore in my side for some time now and I want to rid that sore before I marry so I don't bring anything bad between us." Cale explained.
"But you will because you will either die, or go to jail. Think about that!" Mark insisted and walked back toward the house.
Hodge and Mark joined the women on the porch and were laughing and cutting up with them. Cale listened and it warmed his heart to hear their laughter. Was he wrong? Had he been wrong all along?
Mark and Hodge were right. Killing Dolby was a bad idea. It wouldn't bring his folks back. But how did he rid himself of this feeling that overcame him every time he looked toward the cemetery? How?