Snake River Slaughter

Epilogue

The wind whispered as it came off the sails, and the sun created a million dancing diamonds on the surface of Lake Michigan. Matt and Kitty were seated on the afterdeck of the yacht, eating the meal the chef of the yacht had prepared for them. The yacht was about a mile offshore and from here, they had a great view of the city of Chicago. A passenger train was racing south along the lake shore.

“Where do you think that train is going?” Kitty asked.

“I don’t know,” Matt answered. “New Orleans, maybe?”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to go to New Orleans?”

“Some day, perhaps,” Matt said. “But not today. I’m enjoying where I am right now.”

“So am I,” Kitty said. “I have had such a wonderful time in Chicago that I don’t even want to go back. I hate to say this, but I could almost be convinced to sell the ranch.”

“And do what?” Matt asked.

“The same thing you do,” Kitty said. “Just wander around.”

Matt shook his head. “No, Kitty, you don’t want to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Didn’t you say Tyrone, Prew, Crack, Jake, and the others were your family?”

Kitty was silent for a long moment. “Yes,” she finally replied. “Yes, I did say that, didn’t I?”

“Besides, you don’t want to quit now. The army not only bought all your horses, they told you they would buy as many as you could provide them.”

“Did you hear them say that it was the finest bunch of horses they had bought all year?” Kitty asked, proudly.

“Yes, I did hear that,” Matt said. “And now, without the pressure of paying off a loan, the money you got from selling your horses to the army, and the guarantee you got for future contracts, you could just enjoy your ranch and your horses.”

“Do you think you could?” Kitty asked.

“Do I think I could what?”

“Enjoy my ranch, my horses, and me?” Kitty said.

“Kitty, I—”

“No,” Kitty said, holding up her hand and interrupting Matt in midsentence. She smiled at him. “Don’t answer that, Matt. Let me keep my dream.”

“Let you keep your dream? Oh, I don’t know. I’m not so sure about that,” Matt said, smiling.

“What do you mean, you aren’t so sure?”

“Kitty, you have just proven to me that your dreams seem to have a way of coming true.”