Summer of 1925

Jack leaned on his fence and watched traffic go by. The new decade, known as "The Roaring Twenties," had seen the official end of the Wild West; the life that he had loved. Fewer and fewer people were traveling by horseback and were now driving better cars. The new cars were better built, faster, and quieter than the cars that Jack and Irene had first seen and owned.

Jack was now thirty and Irene was now twenty-eight. They were not at all enjoying this decade. They didn't like the fashion or the awful jazz music that was now popular. "Jazzmania" was the term given to the fans of the music.

Jack refused to cut his hair, which he was still proud of. Although very few men now were wearing sideburns and beards, Jack kept his goatee and sideburns. His sideburns were barely visible because of his long hair. He and Irene still dressed like they liked. They didn't like the new styles. Irene still refused to tie her hair up in a bun or the other new styles that women wore. She still braided it behind her in a single braid or simply ponytailed it.

Jack was also unhappy about the Prohibition, which had begun in 1920, that made alcohol of any kind illegal. It was now illegal for America, as well as many other countries. Saloons were shut down or just running hotels. People were buying illegally obtained alcohol from the Mafia, but Irene would be extremely angry if Jack went to them. She knew that the Mafia were very dangerous. If they didn't get their money, which this family had very little of, they would likely come to the ranch for their revenge. They would likely hurt the whole family, including Angela, who was now four.

Since 1910, prostitution was illegal in every US state, which had removed whorehouses from every state. Jack was actually pleased about that. He had always avoided prostitutes. His own mother had once been one, which was how Jack came to be. This caused him to be bullied by other kids during the very few years that he attended school, to be ostracized by others, and to be treated as if he did not matter. Irene had always reminded him: "We have no say in how we come into this world." She hated that people seemed to treat Jack as if he chose his parents. Yes, Jack loved his parents dearly and he still missed them every day. He wished they were here to see Irene and Angela. He was glad that most people his parents had known then were dead. They were the only ones who ever knew who Jack's mother had once been, a life she had left when Jack was eleven. Jack himself had avoided these women, knowing that he could bring a life into the world that would face the sad childhood that he had suffered through. He did not want to risk that. Many of these women were also older than his own mother was and that was an uncomfortable feeling. He was glad that Irene was his first and only. He loved her more than anything. He would die for her if it came to that.

Beecher's Hope was still the family's home. Metal gates with locks were now at the entrances and exits to the ranch. A large horse corral was now fenced in at the northeast area of the ranch. The silo had been torn down. Since Jack had no interest in being a farmer, he knew he didn't need it. The wooden markers on the three graves had been replaced with marble headstones. Jack refused to have his family's final resting places moved. He knew his parents would want to stay at their home, the home that they tried so hard to live an honest life and teach their son to do the same.

Though Jack had come close to taking the road to becoming an outlaw like his father had once been, he came to his senses after he killed Edgar Ross. He remembered how confused he had felt after gunning the old man down. He remembered that his own father had died to prevent Jack from taking that road. With help of his beloved Irene, Jack secured himself as a bounty hunter and never hurt an innocent person again. He even tried to bring in all bounties alive and only shot those that fired first, self-defense.

As Jack watched and waited, Irene found him. She wrapped both arms around his right arm. "Hey, Jack," she said as she squeezed him tightly.

Jack kissed her head. "Hey back, Irene," he replied. He put his hand on her pregnant belly. "Hey, little one," he said. He held Irene against his side in both arms and looked over the land that surrounded the ranch. "What do you think of all this?," Jack asked. "The twenties?"

"I hate it," Irene admitted. "I miss the days that we grew up in. I can't believe it's gone."

"I hear you," Jack agreed. He sighed. "Things are changing too fast now. It's like I can't keep up."

"It's not all bad," Irene said. "Women can vote now. And prostitution is now illegal."

"You think that's right?," Jack asked. "I mean, I never did anything with these prostitutes, but why can't others if they want?"

"Sex without love is pointless," Irene said. "Why have sex with a person you don't love? Even worse, why have sex with a total stranger? Sex is meant to be with the one you love. That's what I was always taught by my mother. She said she was glad that she waited. She loved my father so very much."

Jack nodded. "I see your point," he said. "Maybe you're right."

"Plus, these women could be sick and get their clients sick," Irene said. "Then, he has to take that home. If he's married, he could be endangering his wife and children, if there are children." Irene paused and thought. "What about us women being allowed to vote?," she asked. "You can't be unhappy about that."

"No, it's your country too," Jack said. "You're also affected by who our president is and what he's doing. I think all adults need to take part in the process."

"I want Angela to have all the opportunities that I didn't have," Irene said. "I want her to have the rights that I was not given. I guess that's the only good thing about all this progress; that we women are being granted more rights."

"Maybe, but I miss our old life," Jack said.

"I do, too," Irene said.

Irene looked back at Angela, who was playing nearby. "Angela, come on," she called. "Let's get cleaned up for supper."

Irene took Angela into the house. Jack was still leaning on the fence with one foot on it. He was not looking forward to what was coming in the future. He wanted things to stop and stand still. He felt like he was now on a runaway train and there was no stopping or derailing the train as it kept gaining speed.

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