Millie's Niece, Sally Walker, was coming for a visit.  She was to be on the stage from Denver.  Millie hadn't seen her for years.  She was really glad to see her.  One of her bags was too heavy for them to carry so Millie looked around to find someone who could help them.  She saw Mark starting to enter her store. She called to him and asked him if he could help them carry some bags.  He took one look at Sally and didn't hear a thing Millie had said.  Sally was a very pretty girl.  Mark thought so too!  He had a hard time taking his eyes off of her.  Millie introduced the two of them.  She told Mark that Sally would be visiting for a couple of weeks.  Sally extended her hand.  Mark took a big swallow and took Sally's hand and said hello.  He was smitten with Sally right away.  Millie got the one bag and after Mark got out of his daze, took the other bag into Millie's store.  I happen to be passing when I saw Mark.  I didn't know he was in town.  "Mark! What are you doin' in town?"  He was still dazed.  "Carrying a bag," he said.  I followed him into Millie's. 

Millie has Mark introduce Sally to me.  "Pa.....this is Sally," he said softly.  "Hello Sally, welcome to North Fork. I hope you enjoy your visit."  She thanked me.  "She'll enjoy herself much more once she's had a chance to change into something comfortable and had a good rest!" Said Millie.  She then thanked Mark for carrying in Sally's bag.  I told Millie we'd see them tonight about six.  Mark had forgotten that we had invited Millie a week ago for dinner so we could meet Sally.  "Oh yeah, that's right. You can even come a little bit earlier if you like," said Mark.  He then stumbled over his own two feet.  "Mr. McCain, do you go by the Willow Ranch by any chance?" Asked Sally.  I told her it was a few miles out of the way.  She said she had a letter she would like to have delivered.  Mark jumped at the chance to do this for her.  He said it was his pleasure.  "This is his name.....Bruce Henry," said Sally.  Sally asked Mark if he knew Bruce.  He said he had seen him around.  "He's an old friend of mine from Denver," said Sally.  He said he'd take the letter there now.  "Come on Pa."  Out the door Mark went.  When we got down in front of Micah's office I stopped Mark and asked him why he was willing to ride 5 miles out of his way to deliver that letter.  "I don't mind," said Mark.  "Five miles out of your way and you don't mind?"  "Sally! Isn't that a nice sounding name?" Said Mark.  "What were you doin' in town, you were suppose to be checking cattle."  "Oh my stirrup leather broke; I had to get Nils to fix it."  "Did he?" I asked.  All of a sudden Mark was in a hurry.  He finally came to.  "Say Pa.....we better get goin'! Why I gotta deliver this, we got the house to clean up and dinner to
fix!"  He hurried off. 

   When Mark got to the Willow Ranch, Bruce Henry was outside.  He was whippin' a horse. Mark was surprised.  He took a look at Sally's letter.  He was havin' second thoughts about delivering Sally's letter after seeing that.  Bruce walked over to Mark.  "Somethin' you want?"  "Your Bruce Henry aren't ya'?"  "So who are you?" Asked Bruce.  "I'm Mark McCain. I live over there and....."  "Yeah, yeah. yeah. I know where you live. What do you want?" Asked Bruce.  "What are you doin' to him?" Asked Mark.  "I'm teachin' him a lesson. I was breakin' him and he threw me."  "They.....ah.....let you use a whip around here." Said Mark.  "I use anything I please. You don't like it?"  Mark told Bruce he came by to give him Sally's letter.  Bruce read the letter and laughed.  He resented Sally trying to get in touch with him.  He told Mark she was loco.  He said she was just a little kid and that she chased him all the time he was in Denver.  He felt she came down here lookin' for him.  Mark defended her.  "She came to visit Miss Millie at the store!" Said Mark.  "That's fine as long I don't have to put up with her."  He tossed her note away.  He asked Mark if he wanted anything else.  Then he eyeballed Mark to leave.

We had a really nice dinner.  Millie and I stayed inside and had our coffee and Mark and Sally went out onto the porch.  Mark took his guitar along.  He wanted to sing for Sally.  He was having some trouble getting started.  I'd say he was somewhat nervous.  He sang "Something Special."  When he finished that song he asked her if there was something else she'd like to hear.  Sally was preoccupied.  She told him she didn't care.  He should pick something.  Mark asked her if there was something wrong.  She asked Mark if he was sure that Bruce Henry didn't say anything more when he gave him her letter.  Mark told her that he thought it was kind of funny.  That upset her.  Mark thought that was a peculiar way for a friend to act.  "He's no friend of mine!" Said Sally.  "Sally.....I'm your friend, aren't I?"  "Of course you are. A very nice friend."  She walked over to him and put her hand on his and then walked away.  This made Mark happy; not really realizing that's all he meant to her was a 'friend'.  We all had a nice time and now it was time for them to leave.  I told Mark I thought Sally was a nice girl.  "She sure is!" Said Mark.  He was still watching them after they rode off.  "I think I'll go jump off the barn roof," I said.  "Alright," said Mark.  Still preoccupied.  "Do you wanna go with?" I asked.  "Go where?" Asked Mark.  "To bed, come on."  We then headed in the house.  "Pa! When you met Ma.....how did you know she was the one? I mean at first.  How did you know she was the
one?"  I told him that was kind of hard to explain.  It's a feelin' you get.....you just know.  I asked him if he understood.  He thought he did.

The next day Sally was out sweeping in front of Millie's store when Bruce Henry rode into town for supplies.  He noticed Sally right away.  She wasn't quite the loco little kid he remembered.  It seemed Sally had blossomed some since he last saw her.  He thought she looked familiar.  She mentioned Denver and told him her name.  He was surprised this was the same girl he remembered.  She mentioned the letter.  He started to try and explain.  He lucked out.  Just then Millie came out.  Bruce said he better get around and pick up the supplies he came for.  He asked Sally if she would be around.  She told him she would.  He went into the store.  Sally kept sweeping.  She was tickled.  "Don't sweep a hole in the floor," laughed Millie.

I was going over some of my paperwork when Mark came in.  He said he had been over on the west range checkin' on the cattle.  He had been gone for two hours and the cattle were on the south pasture.  "What were you doin' on the west range
Mark?"  "Say Pa.....are you still figurin' on maybe selling' that land? I mean you said it wasn't much good! Didn't have any water and it wasn't any good for grazin' or crops."  I told him I might sell it if I got the right price.  "Would you sell it to
me?"  I was surprised.  "I'd pay ya a fair price! I'd go shares and then I could start building a house and gettin' it all fenced in....."  "Wait a minute! Just wait a minute! One thing at a time. What do you want with that land?" I asked.  "I wanna live on it! It would pay Pa, you know that spring north of here that runs underground.....well it comes up over there. I could sink a well and I'd have all the water....."  "You wanna live on it? Mark.....what's wrong with this place?" I asked.  "You live here." Mark sorta laughed.  "We all can't live together."  "We! Who's we!" I asked.  He was all smiles.  "Sally and me. After we get.....married!"  I was surprised!!!!!  "I'd turn that into the best piece of grazin' land in the whole territory. Why when Sally saw it she'd....."  By this time I had my hand over my head.  Mark asked me what was the matter.  I told him I thought I was out in the sun too long.  He told me I better take it easy and to think about what he had said. He headed out to do his chores.

I headed into town.  I wanted to tell Millie about this and see if she knew anything about how Sally felt.  Millie laughed.  "Oh Lucas.....you can't be serious."  "I am and so is he!"  "You know perfectly well it must be some kind of faze he must be going thru," said Millie  "Sure.....but I'd like to know what Sally has to say about it! She must know how old he is! She doesn't strike me as the kind of girl that would lead Mark on."  "Now wait a minute Lucas! I'm sure Sally has had nothing to do with
this!"   Just then Sally came out.  She told Millie she was leaving now.  Sally was going on a picnic with Bruce Henry at Miller's Pond.  Sally then asked me how Mark was.  She said she hadn't seen him since the church social and she'd like him to play his guitar for her again real soon.   She then left.  "Does that answer your question," said Millie.  She told me that Sally had been seeing Bruce Henry nearly everyday.  She didn't exactly approve but he is more her age.  Besides she would be going home day after tomorrow.  So now to break the news to Mark.

I took Mark by Miller's Pond.  I wanted him to see Sally and Bruce for himself.  We were walking our horses and Mark was singing.  When he saw Sally and Bruce he stopped in his tracks.  He was hurt.  I felt bad for him but I felt he needed to know.  "Come on son, we better go. I think we're intruding."  We didn't talk all the way home, not until later.  I knew when Mark was ready to talk to me he would.  That night I was setting out on the porch when Mark came out.  "I guess you think I'm kinda silly, huh?" Asked Mark. "Why should I think that?" I asked.  "Well.....all that talk I was makin'."  "You mean about settlin' on the land? Maybe gettin' married. No Mark.....my only thought was maybe you were a little too young."  "You know son, I once saw a colt who got himself into a lot of trouble. He ran away from his mother to try and get at some green grass on the other side of a fence. He got his head stuck."  He asked what happened to him.  "Oh she got him out alright once she caught up to him. You know a funny thing I think she got it across to him that if he'd wait a while, 'till he was full grown, he'd be able to jump that fence and get all the grass he wanted."  "You knew they were down there, didn't ya'?"  "Yes son, I knew. You angry with me?"  "I was for a while but.....but now I guess I'm kinda angry with Sally."  "Why? You figure she lead you on?"  "Course not!  It's just that she should know better!"  I asked him how.  "Kissin' Bruce Henry!"  "Now wait a minute Mark! They were not kissing!"  "Well maybe they weren't and maybe I'm not the right one for her! Maybe I'm too young and all that! But golly Pa.....Bruce Henry! He's not good for a girl like Sally! He's got a mean streak in him a yard wide! She should know about it.....before she gets hurt."  I told him he was right.  "Pa.....you've had more experience then I have.....how do you tell a girl a thing like that?"  "You'll find a way son. You know Millie and I are having supper tomorrow night, why don't you come along? Sally's leaving the day after tomorrow. If she's not busy I'm sure she would join us. She did tell me she'd like you to play your guitar for her again."  He was pleased.  "She did?"

Mark had asked Sally to dinner, but she already had made plans.  Mark told her he wasn't that hungry anyway.  He thought he'd sing for her until whoever she was waiting came.  Just as he was finishing up the song Bruce Henry rode up.  Mark started to sing another chorus.
"Something Special"
*Please note that some of the sound files downloaded may sound "Jerky".  After selecting the sound and allowing it to play through completely, you should then replay the sound again

"What's this?" Asked Bruce.  "What do you think your doin' any how? Can't you see I'm trying to romance my girl?" Asked Mark.  "Mark!" Exclaimed Sally.  "What's he talkin' about?" Asked Bruce.  "Well I'll tell you what I'm talkin' about!" Shouted Mark.  He was trying to anger Bruce.  He wanted Sally to see his temper.  "I don't like trail bums like you pushin' in when I'm busy! Now beat it!"  Bruce told Mark he better watch what he was saying.  Mark put up his fist and asked him if he wanted to make something of it.  Bruce said he couldn't be bothered as he shoved Mark aside.  He and Sally started to leave.  Mark shoved Bruce.  That was all Bruce needed.  He hit Mark hard.  Mark ended up off the porch and unto the ground.  Sally tried to stop Bruce but couldn't.  Mark got up and went for Bruce again.  Bruce hit Mark again.  Again Mark went flying off the porch into the dirt.  Bruce grabbed Sally and told her to go with him.  Mark went for Bruce again.  Mark got one hit in and into the porch he went again!  Sally wouldn't go with Bruce.  She told him he was horrible.  He said nobody was going to treat him like that or shove him around.  He told her he didn't take nothing from nobody.  "Including me I suppose!" Said Sally.  She told him she never wanted to see him again.  Mark pretended to be knocked out.  He was pleased with what he had done.  He had accomplished what he has set out to do. 

The next day we went into North Fork to say good bye to Sally.  Millie told her she enjoyed her visit and to come back next year.  Sally told her she'd love to.  "I'll be a year older next year!" Said Mark.  "So will I," said Sally.  "Oh.....I didn't think about that!" Said Mark.  She kissed Mark on the cheek and thanked him for everything.  He thought she would be mad, but she wasn't.  He did her a favor.  She kissed him again.  Sally said goodbye and the stage left.  "She kissed me," said Mark. "Twice!"