A neighbor of mine, Jacob Black, was injured by a runaway buckboard.  I got him to the Doc's as quick as I could.  He was hurt bad.  The Doc said he had only days to live. Jacob called the Doc over.  He asked him if he was as bad off as he felt.  "Lucas.....I wanna ask you a favor," said Jacob.  I told him not to worry that I would look out after his place.  "Get somebody else to look after my place," said Jacob.  I want you to go to Willow springs."  I asked him why?  He asked me if I remembered when he went to St. Louis  a couple of months ago.  He then surprised me when he told me he got married.  He said that was the first time he had been happy in fifteen years.  He then said that she got as far as Willow Springs.  She was waiting for a connecting stage to come here to North Fork.  It would be a week until the stage would get here.  Jacob didn't have that long.  He wanted to see her before he died.  I told the Doc if I rode hard I might be able to get to her in three maybe four days.  He shook his head.  He wouldn't guarantee it.  "Oh Lord, I wanna see her one more time, oh Lord," said Jacob.  I told him I'd go to Willow Springs.  Jacob gave me three days and told me he would wait for me to bring her to him.  As I started to leave he said....."Lucas, I'll make it worth your while."  "I'll do this much for a neighbor Jacob, not for pay. Thanks anyway."  I asked Millie if Mark could stay with her and headed for Willow Springs.

When I got to Willow Springs I went straight to the hotel.  She was there alright.  She was in the bar entertaining three gentlemen.  She was singing and drinking champagne.  I apologized for interrupting and asked her if she was Mrs. Jacob Black.  She hesitated and laughed.  "I'm Elizabeth.....isn't that funny, I can't think of myself that way. Yes, I'm Elizabeth Black. But I'm really Beth Garrett. Who are
you?"   I told her who I was and that I was her husband's neighbor.  She joked about meeting the neighbors and told me to sit down and have a drink.  I told her I was there because Jacob asked me to come.  She insisted I have a drink.  I told her I didn't have time for a drink and neither did she.  She wouldn't talk to me in private.  She left me no other choice but to tell her the news in front of her friends.  "Mrs. Black, your husband was hurt yesterday, real bad. The doctor didn't think he'd live long enough until a stage could bring you to North Fork."  "Jacob asked me to come for you. We can be there by tomorrow night."  She was an actress, but not a good one.  "Oh heavens," she whined.  "Oh merciful heavens, how dreadful the poor man. Oh the poor man. What of me? What will I....." she stopped.  "That's strange," she said. "I've played it twenty times, this scene. A wife at a gay party and the news of death comes.....I...I...never knew how it would feel."  "It just feels lost."  I told her we had to get going.  Her friends tried to talk her into not going.  I told them it was none of their business.  "What will I say to him? I didn't know him really," she said.  She thanked me for my trouble and went back to her party.  I left.  What was I gonna tell Jacob?  The more I thought about it the madder I got.  I went back into the hotel.  "Your going back with me. Even if I have to tie you to the horse."  I then picked her up and put her over my shoulder and put her on her horse and off we went.

We rode for quite a while.  I decided to bed down for the night. "You probably know my husband better then I do. What's he like?"  I didn't answer her.  "You wife must find you a pleasant one with that temper of yours."  "When my wife was alive she never saw my temper."  "On a two day ride, don't you'd think it would go a little faster with a little conversation," said Beth.  Again I didn't answer her.  She then took off fast on her horse.  I took off after her. She then pretended to fall from her horse.  I started to help her up.  She had other things in mind.  I walked away from her. 

I built a fire and was getting ready to bed down for the night.  We started talking. We talked about loneliness.  I told her about Mark.  She told me about Jacob and how good he was to her.  I told her I knew all about loneliness.  I knew how it smelled and taste.  She asked me if I belonged to anyone.  She was very beautiful and I must admit I was tempted.  But she was Jacobs wife.  Loneliness doesn't excuse everything.  "Holier then tho. That your good at. That's easy for you, your never weak, are you?" She asked.  "Tomorrow morning we will be in North Fork.  You can put your act on for the man you married. Make him believe it," I said. 

We rode into North Fork when I heard, "Pa, Pa."  It was Mark.  It sure was good to see him.  I asked how Jacob was.  He told me the same , he was still waiting.  He told me they moved him to the billiard room where he could stretch out.  He was surprised when I introduced him to Beth.   We went to the hotel.

  She played her part well.  She told him she would take care of him.  "I just wanted to see you again, just once more," said Jacob.  "I don't want to leave you, before God I don't. I was us to have a home together."  She assured they would.  He told her he had left her some money and the house and that I would help her.  I assured him I would.  "Thank you for everything, you've been a good neighbor," said Jacob.  He then died.  I told her I was sorry for having put her threw this.  "That's what you did, isn't it? He died happy, didn't he?"  I told her I meant my promise to him, I would help her.  She asked me if I was satisfied with her performance. I told her she was a pretty good actress and I walked away. 

I went to get Mark so we could head for home.  Before I could leave Nancy called to me.  "Lucas, Jacob had me write it up and he signed it."  "Those two acres along the creek bed you always wanted.....he had me turn them over to you."  "He said he couldn't rest easy if he left this world beholdin' to anybody."  Beth started laughing.  "So.....there was something in it for you after all."  "A price to be paid."  "And you with your holier then thou attitude, I should have know you were too good to be true, Mr. almighty, Lucas McCain," said Beth.  "No matter what you think of me this has nothing to do with the fact that I promised Jacob to help you," I said.  "I don't need your help, and there's nothing in it for you," said Beth.  "Here's your deed, I don't do favors for pay," I said.  "Being as honest as you are stubborn, are you sure you didn't expect anything in return?" Asked Beth.  "Wouldn't it had been strange if Jacob didn't find a way to pay you back?"  "The thought did cross your mind, didn't it?"  She nodded her head.  "Your human after all."  I told her it crossed my mind.  She told me she has her human moments too, then she walked away.

It was getting late so I thought Mark and I could stay in town and have supper at the hotel before heading home.  After supper we sat on the porch of the hotel.  "Imagine Mr. Black waitin' those three days," said Mark.  "Guess he really loved her."  "Spite you being so much older, could you explain love to me?" Asked Mark.  That was a shocker.  "Oh.....you don't want me to explain that, now do you son?"  Nodding his head he said "Yes I do!"  "Well Mark, it's a lot of things. It means different things to different people, depending on what they want."  "To some it means.....sharing, to some.....taking.....to some, just doing for others."  He looked puzzled. "If you love someone, who loves you, and you both mean the same thing by it, it feels good. Happy and safe and sharing."  "What did she mean when she said that you were too good to be true?" Asked Mark.  "I guess she meant I have my faults, Mark."  "What?" went Mark.  "Come on, lets go home."