Kid sighed. Two of the people in his jurisdiction were in a property dispute. He shoved the papers his off the desk in frustration. The map was not detailed enough to make it clear-cut. He would have to find a surveyor. He was tired of having to ride out because Mr. Smith had trespassed on Mr. Allen's property apparently or vice versa.

Ruth had walked in on his mini temper tantrum. "You know what you need?"

"A new job?" he said dryly.

She chuckled appropriately. "A day off. Why don't we take the kids fishing tomorrow?"

The thought definitely held appeal. "You know what? That sounds amazing."

sss

Mercy held out a long, wriggly worm. "I can't do it. I can't hook another living creature."

Kid was happy to rescue his daughter. "It only hurts for a little while," he sang to the worm as he hooked it.

"Daddy, you're terrible," she said with a roll of her eyes as she took the pole, but he saw the smile she tried to hide. She went to try her luck a little further down the stream. Her brothers followed her, figuring their wise, older sister knew the best spot to fish. She found a good shady spot, but as noisy as Isaiah and Gideon were and the way they impatiently moved their poles around hoping to bait the fish into biting, he didn't think she was going to have much luck.

"And yet she doesn't mind dunking it in the water and waiting for a fish to come along and finish him off by eating it?" Kid said. "That can't be too pleasant for the worm either."

"Stop," she said with a laugh, "before she hears you and you make it so that she doesn't go fishing ever again."

A rich bubble of laughter came up from his throat, proving her plans to give him a carefree day were working. "Yes, ma'am."

He looked in the murky water for awhile, checking for signs of any unsuspecting fish swimming along. When he got tired of that, he looked over at his children. Mercy was still sitting patiently. The boys had abandoned their poles and were wrestling each other on the ground and yelling at each other.

"Even for all that, they don't fight half so much as grown men fighting over their property line."

"Now none of that. Remember, this is a day for having fun. We're not even going to talk about it."

"Should I go over and break it up?"

"They won't hurt each other. It's one fight you don't have to get involved in. Just let them duke it out.

"If you say so, boss, but it don't seem like it makes us good parents," he teased as he leaned back against the tree. It made poor shade as the curved tree's branches hung out over the water but a good backrest.

Ruth proved to be right though. Gideon grew tired of picking at Isaiah, and Isaiah took the opportunity to find a midway spot between his parents and siblings where he could be by himself.

He looked over to see if she was going to gloat. Her cheeks were starting to look a little sun-kissed. He took his hat off and placed it on top of her head over her tiny hat that was more fashion statement than protection from the sun. "You need a more practical hat."

"Why? When I can just steal yours?" she asked with a chuckle as she leaned over and kissed him. He put his free arm around her. Who would have ever thought they would end up a perfect couple with his propensity for brooding and her cheerful nature, but he didn't question it; he just thanked God for it.

"You do look prettier in it than me, I'll admit."

He felt the familiar tug on his pole. "I've got a big one," he said, sitting straighter. He gave his rod a sharp jerk upward, hoping to firmly lodge the hook in its mouth. The fish was just too heavy though, and the line snapped.

"Daggummit, it got away," he grumbled.

"Watch your language. At least, you never let a man get away. Here, you can take my pole."

He took it gladly. He wanted his revenge on that fish, and a fish that big had to be hungry for more.

As he waited for another bite, they watched a man come out of the woods. He didn't even look their way. He was a man on a mission.

"He's carrying a concealed weapon," Kid said in a low voice.

"Really? How can you tell?"

"Easy. You can see the outline of a pistol in his pants pocket."

"Oh, so you can. You have better eyes than me. He's heading toward town."

"I know it." He would have liked to ignore it, but his conscience wouldn't let him. Sometimes he thought his wife and his conscience were the same thing, but she wasn't nagging him. "I guess I better follow him."

She couldn't have looked prouder. "You might be saving someone's life. Buzzard's Dune doesn't know how lucky they got when you took the job as sheriff. You're the best one I've ever seen."

Her words were like cool water to his parched soul. It was rewarding to think he might be saving someone's life and not just settling petty squabbles.