Eva heard little Maddie's prayers, running her gentle fingers through the child's pale white blonde hair. She was such a precious child, smart, kind and brave. She had button eyes, bright shiny brown and an upturned nose that wrinkled if she didn't like a smell. Her everyday dresses were miniatures of the soft grays, browns or blues that her mother wore. Her pinafores were always smudged and the pockets filled with treasures. She had just finished the first MacGuffey's reader and was proud that she could write not only her own name but that of her mother and father's. At a scuff on the stone floor, Eva looked up.<br/><br/>Jeb was standing in the doorway holding a kerosene lantern high  so he could capture the familial bliss that was laid out in front of him.<br/><br/>"She sleep?"<br/><br/>Eva nodded and planted a soft kiss on her smooth brow.A young child who didn't remember much about the war or hardship. A little girl who had only known love and caring.What a blessed family they were.She looked at Jeb, so thankful that he had come back with no wounds or permanent injuries. How many of her old childhood girlfriends were widows?  But here they had everything they could possibly need.This move to Bethlehem Falls had been a good decision.<br/><br/>Jeb walked with her into the courtyard where the stars twinkled over head and the evening was cool. Jeb stepped into the house for a minute then came back out with a box. Eva knew what was in that box. He opened it to reveal a set of Navy Colts, prizes from the War. They had served him well as a Cavalry rider but he had retired them when he came here. A Winchester served him better for shooting critters.  He took one out and laid it in her hand.<br/><br/>"Evie, sometimes things happen out here," he began,<br/><br/>She tried to hand the gun back to him and shush him with a look, but he continued.<br/><br/>"No sense in acting like one of them foreign birds and sticking her head in the sand. Sometimes things out here happens. Injun raids or hostile landowners. Iffen that happens,and I should be killed,"<br/><br/>"Jeb Williams, don't talk like that. you will be pulling down the evil of Satan with your words."<br/><br/>"Woman, hear me out. If I should be killed, there will be two bullets left in my gun, I swear it. One for you and one for little Maddie. I don't want you to have to bear the degradation against your unsullied womanhood or Maddie's. You put this muzzle against her temple and fire it off, then to your own. You hear me? Do you?" Jeb was intense. Eva had never seen him so agitated.<br/><br/>"Yes, Jeb. That would be hard, but I will do as you say. You are the head of the house after all." she agreed. She figured she could kill herself easier than she could Maddie, but if push came to shove, she would do what duty and honor called her to do.