Part 20: Epilogue

After the meal, John Taylor checked the two lost boys over with Joseph’s help and with Nathan, who showed much interest in learning about healing.  “They are too skinny their spirit needs rest as well as their body.”  He informed Orrin, Ethan and Nettie.

“They should be comfortable in the wagons and we can split up their chores between the other boys.”  She insisted that when morning comes they would be on their way.  They had already fallen behind schedule.

“Miss Nettie.  Though they would be lying down they would still be on the move.  They need time to recover.”  John Taylor was determined that the boys not leave in the morning.

“What am I suppose to do?  A lot of these boys have families waiting for them in San Francisco that might not wait much longer.  It is not fair to ask them to give up a chance to have a family.  I am not trying to be uncaring about their health but I have all of them to think of.  How could I leave them behind?” 

“I do not know but they are meant to stay here.”  That is all John Taylor would say before he excused himself.

Miss Nettie turned to the camp and started to issue orders to the boys to perform their nightly chores and then bed down.  She addressed Sheriff Travis and Deputies Cord and Smith one last time.  “Thank you for everything, for not giving up on two lost orphans and for this wonderful meal tonight.  It isn’t often these children know this sort of kindness.  So thank you.”  That was the last thing she said as she turned and went about her job of watching over the children.

Ethan and Orrin took one last look at the children, their eyes falling on the seven boys that had yet to separate since their return earlier this evening.  With one final look and a few waved goodbyes they headed home to their own families.

Over night Orrin and Evie had talked at great lengths about what had happened and about the seven boys.  Orrin mentioned John Taylor’s suggestion that the two exhausted children be allowed to stay behind to recover.  By morning they had made a decision.  They would offer their home to the two boys for the length of their recovery. This was the reason why before first light Orrin was already at the camp discussing things with Miss Wells. 

“We can keep the boys until they are recovered.”  Orrin informed her of his and his wife’s decision.

“That is all well and good for the short term but what will become of them once they are healthy.  Where will they go?”  She couldn’t comprehend why these people didn’t understand that the boys didn’t need temporary solutions but permanent homes.

“There are plenty of families around here that have already expressed and interest in them.  We can then find them a good home.”

“Then where are these people now?  Why aren’t they here to take them and care for them?”

“You have to understand that not a lot of people have a lot of money in these parts.  I can afford to clothe and feed them through their recovery but others can’t afford the money it will take, not without them providing help for the family in turn.”

“So we are talking about offering them up for free labor?”  Nettie asked disgustingly.

“That is not what I am saying!  These are the facts out here.  Families work together to survive.  I am offering those boys a chance at that.  I will personally make sure that they go into a happy home where the people are more interested in having a son than in free labor.  Can you honestly tell me that there is no chance for any of these boys to end up in the same horrible situation you are accusing me of putting them if they go out to San Francisco?”

When Nettie could not give him that assurance he made on last plea.  “Trust me to look after them.  I won’t let any harm come to them.”

He had her in a corner and she knew it.  She could no more guarantee a good life for these boys out there than she could here.  She also knew that if she traveled with them being as weak as they are now chances were they wouldn’t make it to California.  She did trust him and thus had no other choice.

“Ok.  But you better find them good homes or I will come back and…well I will come back mark my words.” 

So as they packed up the wagons to head out that morning it was very noticeable that two of the boys were missing.  Orrin had secreted them away while everyone was sleeping.  The camp awoke much in the same way it did three nights ago with JD yelling frantically that Ezra and Vin were gone.  Once the camp was awake Miss Nettie informed everyone that Vin and Ezra would remain behind to recover and to find homes here in Paradise.  Needless to say five other boys were not thrilled with the decision.

When Vin and Ezra awoke they found themselves in a strange place.  They were in soft and comfortable feather beds and in a nice room.  A woman who introduced herself as Evie Travis tried to explain to them their reason for being there but neither boy would listen, they wanted their friends, their brothers.  Ezra had wept silent tears as he was held tightly by a vocally crying Vin.  Eventually neither had the energy to put up much of a fight but whenever she tried to move Vin back to his bed the crying would begin again and the grips on each other would get tighter.  She eventually let them be.

The Orphan Train was gone less than four hours when an interesting site came up the rode from the west.  “What the hell?’  Charlie exclaimed.  After all it wasn’t every day you saw five boys walking side-by-side entering into Paradise.

“Ah sheriff I think you better get out here.”  He called into the office as his eyes stayed glued to the small parade.

“What is it Charlie.”  Orrin took a look in the direction Charlie was fixated on and then he took another.  “What the hell?”  He questioned himself.

“That’s what I said.”  Charlie informed Orrin of that invaluable information.

The five boys marched right up to the jailhouse and stood before the two men there.  “What is going on?  Is there trouble?”  Orrin asked in confusion and then worry.

Chris, who was standing in the middle of the group looked straight at Orrin.  “We want our brother’s back.”  His declaration was spoken with much fervor.  These boys were not taking no for an answer. 

Orrin actually didn’t know what to do.  He could keep the boys in the jail until he knew if the wagons were on their way back for them or…what?  This was a situation he was not prepared to deal with.  Give him bank robbers and drunken cowboys any day.  He was still gaping and gasping at the boys like a fish out of water when a loud scream pierced the air.

“CHRIS!”  Vin shouted at the top of his lungs.  He and Ezra were being taken to a buggy waiting out front so they could travel to the Travis’ home.  Just as Mrs. Travis was carrying him out he spotted the best thing in the world. 

Chris and the boys turned towards the shout and immediately ran to the buggy, Orrin and Charlie following behind.  Evie and Mary, who was carrying a now struggling and still silent Ezra, were terrified to see five boys running in their direction as Vin continued to scream and squirm for Chris.  Mr. Dodd and Tiny stepped in between the boys and their goal as Orrin and Charlie came from behind and held the five boys away. 

“Evie, Mary, get them in the buggy and out of here!”  Charlie demanded as he and the other three men struggled to keep the boys separated.

Mary made for the buggy and got on with Ezra still struggling and Evie was about to while still clutching to the weakly struggling boy in her arms when she stopped dead in her tracks.  She looked to the tear stained faces of Ezra and Vin and then to the desperate and distraught faces of the five boys.  Her gaze swept to her husbands and in that instant they knew.  They knew this pain of separation and of longing to be with someone you love.  As a mother Evie could not be the one to separate people, children who obviously loved and cared for one another like family.

Orrin saw the look in Evie’s eyes and actually smiled.  A weight that had been in his heart since his son died seemed to lighten.  It was like he knew what she was thinking and in that split second ten lives changed forever.

“Let them go.”  Orrin barely whispered.  Then with more conviction and understanding, “Let them go.”  Charlie, Tiny and Mr. Dodd stopped trying to restrain the boys and stood frozen as they watched Orrin laugh and Evie giggle.

Charlie leaned over to Tiny.  “I think they lost it.”  The three men shrugged their shoulders and walked away.  Let Orrin handle this.

Chris was clutching Vin and Josiah had Ezra as the other boys all gathered around and they sat on the boardwalk.  They looked up with bright shining eyes as Orrin, Evie and a now very confused Mary Travis walked over to them.  Protective instincts took over and Josiah and Chris passed the two youngest onto other members of their group as they stood to meet them.

“Boys.”  Orrin started.  “As you know we were entrusted to look after Ezra and Vin.”  He was met with suspicious glares.

“Does Miss Wells know you are gone?”  He had to ask before he went any further. 

JD was the one who answered.  “Not yet sir and she probably won’t know until they make camp tonight.  We jumped out the back of the wagon and the others will keep quiet.”

Orrin looked to Evie with a questioning look.  In answer he smile grew bigger and her eyes twinkled brighter than they had for a long time.

“We have to get Vin and Ezra home into bed.  Their looking mighty exhausted.”  Orrin suddenly changed directions on them once again.  Chris stepped forward and stood his ground.  “We aren’t leaving them.”  His defiant answer met with affirmative nods behind him.

“OH we know that.  You’re coming with us.”  Orrin had the joy of once again seeing a puzzled expression come across their faces.  He looked again towards Evie and then back towards the boys.  With much merriment and truth shinning in his eyes Orrin once again looked at the seven orphans.  “I said you are coming with us.  As in getting in the buggy and coming home.”

“What are you playing at?”  Chris asked.  He and the others were very confused.  First they are ripped away from each other then suddenly they are all going to live together.

“I’m not sure how it happened either but trust me when I say that we want you, all seven of you to come live with us.”

The boys were stunned.  This couldn’t be happening.  Someone wanted all seven of them?  “Is this a joke or a trap?  A way to get us to go with you so that you get us locked up somewhere until Miss Wells comes back through?”

“I don’t blame you for being suspicious but I don’t know what else I can do to convince you.  We want you to come home with us.  I am not saying we have all of the answers but we do have the room. 

See when I saw you all together that night after we came back to town I saw something that should never ever be broken.  You all think of yourselves as brothers, family.”  He looked at Evie again.  “We lost an important part of our family sometime ago and when that happened we almost lost everything.  A good friend pointed out to me how important family is and that you had to hold onto what you have.

We want to help you seven hold onto the family that you have.  Maybe we can all grow to be a family.  I don’t know but please don’t be afraid to try. 

So what do you say?’  He looked at the boys as they looked at each other.

“JD, how about it?”

“I’m in if everyone else is?”

“Chris, Vin, Buck?”

“Yeah I think we can try it.”  Chris answered for them as Vin and Buck nodded in agreement.

“What about you Josiah?”

“I figure these boys need some looking after.  They can be quite trying at times.”  He finished with a large grin.

“Nathan?”

“Well I would be interested in learning some more from John Taylor.”

Orrin then walked over and knelt down in front of Ezra.  “What about you little guy?”

Tired green eyes looked around at everyone.  Looking back at Orrin he nodded a couple of times before laying his head back on Buck’s shoulder and closing his eyes in sleep.

Orrin stood back up and looked before him at the children that he and Evie were opening their home to.  “Well that makes seven!”  He said with such joy and pride.

“Well that is a lucky number.”  Mary piped up from beside her mother.  Orrin looked back at her suddenly worried about the wisdom of his brash actions.  Afraid of seeing anger in the eyes of his daughter he was instead greeted with love and happiness.  Mary didn’t know anymore than anyone on how this would work out but she was willing to give it a try.

The buggy crested a hill as it groaned under the weight of ten people.  Ahead spread over hundreds of acres of land stood their new home, The Four Corners Ranch.  The boys were in awe as they saw from a distance, herds of horses being move by ranch hands. 

“You live here?”  Chris asked in bewilderment. 

“We all do now.  Boys welcome home! HeeYah!”  The buggy bounced and rocked over the road as they made their way home.  Hearing the wonder in the boy’s voices, Orrin couldn’t help but think of the telegram he sent to Miss Wells in both Tularosa and Fort Stanton.