Micah and I were moving some stove grates for Millie in her store.  She was so grateful, she told us we earned ourselves a fried chicken dinner on Sunday.  Sure sounded good to us.  We loved Millie's fried chicken and I know Mark would definitely look forward to this dinner.  Just then a man entered the store.  We didn't notice him at first.  Millie apologized to him and ask him if she could help him with something.  "You should have called out a work detail.....Lieutenant.  McCain, isn't it?"  I didn't recognize him.  He introduced himself as Harry Chase.  He said he was in company B.....11th Indiana and I had been his training officer.  We haven't seen each other since the beginning of the war.  He told us he was transferred to McDowell's Third Infantry.  "Third Infantry?" Ask Millie.  "My brother was with the McDowell, Ted Scott.  He.....he was killed at Bull Run. Did you know him?"  He told Millie he did know her brother and that he died right along side of him.  That surprised me.  This upset Millie and Harry apologized.  She wanted to hear all about it.  "Millie.....why don't you go lie down.....we can come back later," I said.  But she wanted to know how her brother died and if he suffered.  "Please understand.....we were very close!"  "I.....I never could find anybody who knew him. I never knew.....where he was buried.....or if he was buried."  He told her that he and the rest of the men that fell that day were restin' peaceful.  He said he took care of it personally.  "A small grove by a stream.....pretty place. And as for sufferin'.....he didn't! I guess that's just about all there was too it," said Harry.  She then realized it was hard for him to talk about it.  She apologized.  He told here that sometimes talkin' about it helps keep the nightmares away.  "Nightmares?" I asked him.  He said it wasn't easy leading men into battle and watching them fall all around you.  Again I was surprised.  I asked him if he earned a stripe.  He said he was in the field commission.  He laughed and said it was probably the worse mistake the army ever made.  I asked him what he had been doing since the war.  He said he was a poker player.  Millie asked him if he was staying in North Fork.  He said if there was any worth while reason to stay, he would.  She invited him to dinner Sunday.  He said it would be his pleasure.  He said he was going to check out the town.  I told him....."Yeah.....the poker tables over at the..... Saloon."  He took Millie's hand and said....."Until Sunday."  He left.  I walked over to Millie and took her hand and said....."Until Sunday."  She laughed and told me to go on. 

        We had a nice Meal.  Millie out did herself.  Mark really enjoyed his dinner and it showed.  Harry liked everything about this day, the meal.  It was beginning to make him wonder what he had been missing out on.  Micah told Harry that with him being a card player and all, if he settle down, it just might change his luck.  "What's wrong with settling down?" Ask Millie as she looked at me.  That was enough for Micah; he volunteered us to do the dishes.  He must be crazy!  And I thought he'd was my friend!  Mark went out to feed the chickens and Millie showed Harry around her place.

           While Harry & Millie were outside, Harry started to tell Millie about how he lost his wife and his boy.  He said he would have been about Marks age.  He told her he was wounded in Mechanicsville leading a charge.  He laid in a field hospital for three weeks while the doctors were trying to save his leg.  Back home there weren't any doctors.  They saved his leg alright; but nobody could save his wife and child.  They had died from cholera.  He was telling Millie how he was a captain in the army just as Mark walked up.  "You were a captain?"  Exclaimed Mark.  "Why yes Mark. I was promoted at Chancellorsville."  I then came out and asked Mark to get the horses.  I told him it was time to go.            

"We better go in," said Millie.  Harry stopped her.  Millie looked at me and I turned and went back into the house.  "Miss Scott there's just one thing I'd like to say. I've never even heard of North Fork before until I just happened to ride in. It was just another town.....another place. I've ah.....well I've always been pretty lucky at cards and not so lucky at other things. But.....like I said at the dinner table.....a man's luck can change."  "I hope for your sake, yours will," said Millie.  He looked at Millie with feeling and said....."I think it already has."  They were interrupted by Mark.  "I guess we're leaving now," said Mark.  Millie looked at Harry and went into the house. 

It wasn't long after Mark and I had gone to bed when Mark started to ask me questions about Millie.  He was restless and wanted to talk.  "Pa, you still awake?" He asked me.  "What is it son?"   "Miss Millie.....isn't she something like Ma was?"  "Why do you ask that?"  "Well.....I.....I kinda figured that you liked her.....like you did Ma. And I like her.....well.....I'm pretty sure that she likes us."  "Go on," I said.  With a big sigh he said....."That Mr. Chase.....he likes her too."  "Millie has a lot of friend's son."  "Pa! He almost kissed her!"  "It's getting late Mark.....you better get to sleep."  I had been already thinking about what Mark was saying before he even said anything.  Harry Chase will be gone in a few days and everything would be back to normal once again.  I then rolled over and went to sleep.

The next morning I went into town.  I headed straight for Millie's store.  The store was closed.  I was knocking on the door when Micah came up to me.  He asked me what I was doing in town.  I told him I just rode in.  Micah told me that if I was looking for Millie she wasn't in.  I was surprised.  I mentioned to Micah that it wasn't like Millie to close up this time of the week.  "No it isn't. Maybe she'd tired from cookin' all that chicken on Sunday. The man who gets her.....sure is gonna be lucky. The way she cooks, that is if she ever figures on settlin' down," said Micah.  I knew what he was gettin' at.  "You know.....it's kinda strange seeing you here this time of the day, Lucas."  "Somethin' wrong with my being in town Micah?"  "Well no....I.....ah.....I was just wonderin'," said Micah.  "Well look! If it's bothering you so much I came into have a couple of beers.....play a little poker and see if Harry Chase's luck is still holding out."  He told me he didn't think I'd find him in the saloon.  With his luck he's been having a hard time gettin' a game.  I asked him where he was.  He told me he hadn't seen him.  Maybe he went for a ride.  "What's the big secret? Is he out with Millie?"  He just stammered around not saying anything.  I asked him why he was acting that way; it wasn't the end of the world.  "Harry Chase will be moving on soon. Gamblers don't stay in one place too long," I said.  "Well Lucas.....that depends on what the stakes are."  "You just said he couldn't find a game!"  "Oh I wasn't talking about poker.....he hasn't had any trouble finding the store."  "Now you were saying something about havin' a beer," said Micah as he headed over to the saloon. 

Millie and Harry had gone on a picnic.  Harry spent the time telling Millie more stories about the war and her brother and how he and his men went back to bury the dead.  He offered to take Millie there if she wanted to go.  She felt there was nothing there for her now.  All these years she had wondered these things about her brother.  She was glad to know he had been with someone who cared.  "I can't thank you enough Harry," said Millie.  "And Harry.....what you said last Sunday.....I don't think you just happened to ride into North Fork. I think something lead you here! I hope you never leave," said Millie.  Harry took hold of Millie's hand and said....."Now who said anything about leaving?"  They were just getting ready to kiss when Mark rode up.  Harry asked Mark if he was heading into town.  Mark told them he was going to meet me in town for supper.  They hadn't realized it was that late and decided to head on into town themselves.  Mark saw a drawing in the dirt and asked Millie what it was.  She told him that Harry had been showing where her brother was buried.  Mark asked Harry if he would tell him some stories of the war.  So all the way back to town Harry told his war stories.

I was surprised when Mark rode in with Millie and Harry.  Mark told me he ran into them on the road while they were having a picnic.  "Millie.....Mark and I are having dinner at the hotel. Would you like to join us? (hesitantly) You too Harry."  They both said they weren't hungry right now.  Millie had already accepted a dinner invitation for later that evening with Harry.  So I guess it was just Mark and I.  "Well I guess that leaves the church social Sunday. What time should I pick you up?"  "I.....didn't think you asked me to go," said Millie.  "Did you?"  I shrugged my shoulders and said....."I don't know.....I forgot. Um.....I thought we talked about it?"  "Well half a bets not quite good enough Luke," said Harry.  "Millie's accepted my invitation."  "Oh," I said.  Millie looked at Mark and me and said....."I'll see you to Sunday."  Harry then walked her to the door.  Mark looked at me and said....."Hm.....Pa.....let's eat supper at home tonight."  "Alright son. You wait here I'll be back in a minute."  I went to talk to Millie.