Chapter 56: The Sickness

Trees and plants dying. Arthur coughing and hacking. A cave near Annesburg. A young blonde woman in a cage. Horses. Snow. The cave by Colter. Molly getting shot in the stomach. A snake in Dutch's ear. "Just shoot the girl, Dutch. Kill her!" it hisses.

Lilly woke up in a cold sweat and sat up straight. She immediately grabbed her journal and started writing. It was a short vision, but it was enough to let her know Molly was next to die. It occurred to her, though, that Molly was not in camp at all. And then there was that new bit about what the snake had said to her Da. Lilly put the journal back into her bag and looked over at her sleeping husband. Arthur was sweaty and pale. She placed a hand on his forehead. He was hot. Lilly frowned and kissed his forehead. "Mo chuisle," she whispered.

Arthur slowly opened his blood shot eyes and looked at her with a wheezed groan. "I don't feel good at all," he said to her.

It broke her heart seeing her husband like this but she resisted an urge to cry by holding her breath for a few seconds. When the feeling passed, she smiled at him. "I'm gonna go get you some medicine, but I'll see if Miss Grimshaw's got anythin' for your fever, okay?"

"I have a fever?"

"Oh yeah. I could cook eggs on your face."

Arthur chortled then started coughing. Lilly handed him a hankerchief to cough into and when he was done, Lilly saw bloody phlegm on it. She wondered, due to her healing abilities, if she was immune to his illness. In fact, now that she thought about it, she'd never been sick an entire day in her life, except during the beginning of her pregnancy.

"You shouldn't get too close, sweetheart," Arthur rasped.

"Nonsense. I am your wife. I am goin' to take care of you. Now," she smacked his butt and he chortled again, "rest up, mo ghrá." Lilly got up and looked for Miss Grimshaw outside, spotting her by one of the wagons and walking to her. "Hey, have you seen Molly?" Lilly asked her.

"No," replied Miss Grimshaw. "Not since Shady Belle. We have no idea where she went."

"Huh. Okay." Lilly scratched the back of her braided head. "Listen, I'm runnin' into town for some things for Arthur but he's got a fever. Do you got anythin' for that?"

"I can put yarrow into some tea. I'll brew it right up now."

"Excellent, thank you."

Lilly headed into town to the general store for food, to the tailor to buy bigger shirts and pants on account of her growing belly, to at least five different bookstores looking for anything about tuberculosis (she bought at least ten different ones), then she went to get shots and other medicine from the doctor for her husband as well as get an eighteen week check up. All things were normal in the pregnancy and Lilly was assured that her back pains were all part of the wonderful miracle of pregnancy. Lilly left with the syringes and medicine in her satchel but as she crossed the street, she noticed a familiar looking nun. She'd seen her with Brother Dorkins.

"Please, help the poor. They are in desperate need," the nun said. She spotted Lilly and smiled. "Mrs. Morgan!"

Lilly neared her with a lazy salute. "Hello, Sister..."

"Calderón. Brother Dorkins and I were just talking about you and your husband the other day amd hoping we would see you again."

"And how is Brother Dorkins?" Lilly asked the nun.

"Oh, he's quite well. A little frustrated with the workings of our order. He keeps trying to be sent overseas. You know, do something with more challenge. Maybe...be a missionary." Sister Calderón sat down on a bench. "He's a lovely man."

Lilly chuckled and sat down on the bench with the woman. "He sure seems to be," she groaned, resting a hand on her swollen belly. She felt the bairns rolling about and "oofed".

"And how is your pregnancy coming along?"

"Fine. Wee bairns are kickin' about now."

"You're having twins...how wonderful!"

Lilly laughed. "Sure."

"And your husband?"

Lilly frowned. "Well, he's sick, Sister. Very sick."

"I see. I shall pray for him and for you."

"Oh, we're not religious people, Sister...well, he isn't, and I believe moreso in the gods of my people than Christianity. But even so, he and I are outlaws."

Sister Calderón laughed. "Oh, what fun! Religion is just a word. Hearts are rarely pure, but equally they are rarely impure either. You know, a long time ago, I was like you and your husband."

Lilly cocked her head as she glanced at the sister. "Is that so?"

"Yes, I did terrible things. Awful things. And I could not stop doing terrible things because I did not believe goodness existed. And then, one day, I saw that love did exist, and ever since then, doing bad things became, well not inpossible, but...ridiculous."

"Well, we both know love exists, but that don't stop us from doin' horrible things all the time. Me especially."

"Well," Sister Calderón stood up, "to me, God is people, and people are God, so we must all do what we can."

Lilly stood up with a groan. "That's a lovely way to look at the world, Sister Calderón, but I cannot share the sentiment just now."

"Oh, come now. Surely it isn't all that bad."

"My husband is dyin'. My children won't ever know their father. That don't make my heart so susceptible to seein' the good in life."

"Well, perhaps this will. These people are starving. Go find them some food. Don't worry so much about your heart. The actions will lead and the heart follows. It will help you cherish the time you have left with your husband, and of course your children will know him. You will tell them, won't you? About their father?"

"Of course I will," Lilly said.

"They will know him then. He will live on in them and in you, as long as your heart remembers him."

Lilly felt tears fill her eyes but she quickly wiped them away. Lilly reached into her bag on Doc and donated some food she just bought. "Here, I don't need all of this, I suppose."

"Ah, you are wonderful, Mrs. Morgan."

"Well, thanks."

Lilly walked away with Doc in tow and sighed. It was a good deed she did but she still didn't feel much better about things. However, perhaps if she tried to stay positive, as the woman said, she'd feel more positive. She stopped and grabbed one of the books from her bag then sat down on a bench to start reading. It was a new sort of treatment for tuberculosis by a doctor by the name of Trudeau. Something about the mountain air, exercise, and milk. Even as she read it, her heart became lighter as proof was in the pages of a possible recovery. Lilly decided she would do everything she could to keep her husband alive, even if it meant prolonging their escape to Ireland, although Ireland did have plenty of mountain ranges. Lilly took out her journal and began writing a letter to Patrick. When she was done, she posted it at the post office.

When Lilly got back to camp, Brian, James and Arthur were there waiting for her. The rest of the people were getting ready to move camp. She dismounted and kissed Arthur on the cheek.. His fever was gone. "I see Miss Grimshaw gave you some yarrow tea for your fever."

"She did," he said, wheezing a little.

"I managed to buy some shots from that doctor, I also got you some cough syrup, aspirin...I got so many different books about tuberculosis, new types of treatments and everythin', and-"

Arthur held her hands. "Don't you think that's a bit much?"

"No. I've decided I'm not lettin' you die." She took out a shot. "Now hold still, please." Lilly checked the plunger like the doctor showed her, pushed out a little liquid, then punctured Arthur's skin and injected the liquid into his arm.

Arthur winced and shook his head. "I don't think you got much choice."

"Well if Macha or The Morrigan refuses to save you, then I will do my damndest to save you, Arthur Morgan, and don't you dare make fun of me for it," she snapped.

Arthur held up his hands in surrender. "I ain't makin' fun, I just wanna make sure you don't get your hopes up is all."

Lilly frowned at his pale face and blood shot eyes. "This book here," she pointed to one as she pulled it from Doc's pouch, "this one talks about a doctor who survived tuberculosis by exercising in mountain air, having three meals a day, and drinking milk every four hours." She handed Arthur the book. "If he survived it, so can you."

"We ain't got a cow."

"Well I'm buyin' one as soon as we set up camp, or maybe we'll get some goats. Goats milk should work. Now where is Da?"

Arthur motioned to one of the shacks. "He's sittin', thinkin'," Arthur said.

"I am not givin' up on you, Arthur, and you shouldn't either." With a kiss on his sweaty, pale cheek, Lilly walked away to go find Dutch. She found him sitting on a porch playing an invisible chess game, making motions with his hands as he called out his pieces to move.

"White to D4, black to F5. White to G3, knight to F6. Bishop to G2, black to G6, knight to F3." Dutch began repeating the sequence when Lilly walked to his side.

"You uh, plannin' your moves?" she asked.

"Yup. Workin' it all out, once and for all, Lilly."

Lilly sat up in the railing. "You know, I was thinkin', if we're headed north, could we try and get close to the mountain range?"

"I suppose. Why?"

Lilly handed him the book. "This book talks about mountain air being a good treatment for tuberculosis. That and exercise...and a strict diet...and milk."

"Milk?" Dutch laughed. "We ain't got a cow."

"I'll buy one, or maybe some goats. Book doesn't seem to discriminate on what kind of milk to use."

Dutch sighed and started skimming through. "What makes you think this...hmm, Dr. Trudeau's got it right?"

Lilly turned to a certain page for him and pointed. "Because he survived it. He's even got a sanitorium somewhere way east in New York for other patients and accordin' to this, they're doin' fine. Anyway, Arthur will need rest too, so I am more than happy to take his place in all the work."

"As am I," Adair said in Lilly's head.

"Oh, Adair is willing as well."

Dutch laughed as he read, then he shut the book and handed it back to Lilly. "Well, if you think it can be done, then do it, Lilly. I want Arthur to live just as much as you do."

"Thanks, Da."

Arthur came walking up and sat next to Lilly. He already looked better and Lilly smiled happily. "So, what now?" Lilly asked.

"We're back. And I'm sittin' here and I am contemplating the great journey of the sun and considering a famous chess move. Those oily enactors of a mediocre justice, the Pinkertons and their benefactor, your," he pointed at Lilly, "sneaky, slimy, sorry excuse of an uncle, the depressing millionaire Leviticus Cornwall, they want us, Arthur!" Dutch pointed to Arthur. "They want us, and they are goin' to have us."

"Well maybe they ain't the problem."

"Meanin'?" Dutch snapped.

"I don't know, it's just...I can't help but feel we would've been better," Arthur got up, "runnin' off someplace else."

"But the, the game ain't over, Arthur. I mean I ain't, I ain't played my, my final move, but..."

"I guess I'm more interested in savin' lives than winnin' at chess."

"Then maybe life ain't such a thing to cling onto so tightly!"

"No doubt! But what about the women?"

"Arthur!" Lilly said with a scowl. "Why are you givin' Da such a hard time? He's tryin' his best, you know?"

Arthur squinted an eye at her. "I know he is, Lilly, but...where are we gonna run to? I mean they chased us from the west, they chased us over the mountains, they ran us into the sea!"

"Arthur...do you have my back?" Dutch asked him.

"Always, Dutch, but there's more than your back to worry about. We need more money. We been on the run for months now and I seen you," Arthur lowered at the waist and got close to Dutch, "killin' folk in cold blood like you always told me not to!" Dutch got up and moved away from him. "And I'm sorry but I can't help but think that if we-"

"There is country, in Roanoke Ridge, past Butcher Creek...I believe we could hold."

"Okay?"

"Lilly, you and Charles, you could take folks up that way. Micah and I need to do some reconnaissance. I ain't got a final plan, yet. Arthur," Dutch looked at Arthur, "I ain't got a..." he looked away, "I just need time." Dutch looked at Lilly with a look in his eye that Lilly hadn't seen before, and it almost frightened her. He looked like he'd gone mad, but it was only there for a second before it disappeared. "I need time..." he looked at Arthur one last time, "...and no traitors."

Lilly and Arthur looked at each other before looking back at Dutch. "Yes, Da," Lilly said before walking away. Arthur followed her to go find Charles. "Did ya see the look in his eyes, Arthur?" Lilly asked him.

"Yes. That was not a good look."

"I'm worried about him, Arthur," Lilly said as she fiddled with her fingers. "So worried."

Arthur embraced her from behind and kissed the top of her head. "I know. I am too. Gheobhaidh muid an nathair. Agus an francach." [We will find the snake. And the rat.]

"Is iad an nathair agus an francach an duine céanna. Dúirt an fear dall liom." [The snake and rat are the same person. The blind man told me.]

"Beidh sé níos éasca iad a aimsiú, ansin. Ag labhairt di ar nathracha... [It will be easier to find them, then. Speaking of snakes...] mine needs a hole to wiggle into," he said, nibbling on her ear lobe.

Lilly guffawed with a snort. Clearly, he was feeling a lot better. "Oh my God, bithiúnach. Not right now, I gotta go with Charles to find a new camp spot."

"Oh, let me come with, darlin', please," Arthur begged, kissing her neck.

Lilly giggled. "Now you're just bein' a baby."

"Yeah, but I'm your baby, and you're my baby, and," Arthur put his hands on her belly as she laughed, "these are our babies. And I just gotta be with all my babies," he mumbled as he continued kissing her neck.

"Alright, alright, but you have to rest afterwards. Now hopefully we can find a spot near the mountains. Charles?" Lilly was walking to him but Arthur was clinging to her. "Jesus, Arthur, what is up with you?"

"I need your honey pot," he growled lightly into her ear.

Lilly slapped his hands and laughed. "Shut up!"

Charles looked up at them and smiled. "Yes, Lilly?"

Arthur chuckled and bit the back of her neck so Lilly slapped his arm. "Oh my God, stop it! Ahem, Charles will you...Arthur!" she laughed when he bit her again. "Stooop!"

He licked her ear and growled again. "But I'm hungry."

Lilly blushed and her lips puckered as she resisted laughing. "Charles, will you ride with us, please?"

Charles nodded. "Always," he said as he stood up. "Where we headed?"

"Up past Butcher Creek," Arthur said, resting his chin on Lilly's shoulder.

"That's Murfree Brood Country," stated Charles.

Lilly sighed. "Yes, I've had my run-ins with them as well."

"When?"

"As a kid. I used to trek between the borders. They're almost as wild as the Night Folk, but I prefer Murfree Broods over them. Broods are easier to detect based on the smell."

Arthur and Charles laughed and Lilly's husband kissed her head. "Well, let's go."

"I need to go change into new clothes, first."

"Why?" Arthur asked as the three started walking to the horses.

"Because my old clothes are gettin' snug." Lilly grabbed a red shirt and black pants from a bag on Doc and ran into one of the shacks inside. As she dressed, Micah came storming in. Lilly only had her undershirt on and she hid behind a curtain. "Micah! I'm changin'! Do you mind?!"

Micah chuckled and got closer. "No, I do not mind at all." He moved around a little as if trying to get a peek at her. "So, Arthur's dyin', huh?"

Lilly scowled and put on her new pants. "Yes, but I'm hopin' it won't come to that. Got books that talk about new types of treatments for it."

Micah chuckled deeply. "Oh boy, well surely those will work," Micah said mockingly.

"Shut up, Micah." Lilly started buttoning up her new red shirt.

Micah came up to her and smiled. "Oh come on. Don't tell me you won't want a new man when he's gone," he said, stroking her cheek. Lilly grabbed his hand and started to squeeze which brought Micah to his knees. "Ow ow ow ow ow!"

"Now ya listen tah me, Micah god damn Bell! Don'tcha ever touch me again or I'll cut all yer fingers clean off and use 'em fer fish bait, ya hear me?!"

Micah laughed at her. "You amuse me."

Lilly gripped harder and made Micah yelp. "I'm not doin' this fer yer amusement, Micah!"

The door opened and Dutch walked in. "What is goin' on here?"

"Micah made advances towards me!" Lilly snarled.

"Micah!"

"I'm sorry, boss. She's just so pretty," Micah explained.

Dutch laughed. "That she is, but she's married."

Lilly let go of Micah's hand and stormed out with her boots in hand. Lilly shoved them on while outside and she charged angrily towards Charles and Arthur. "What's wrong?" Arthur asked.

"Nothin', just a different snake tryin to wiggle into my hole."

Arthur laughed and helped Lilly onto Doc. "Who was that?"

"God damn Micah Bell."

Arthur mounted on Tessa and sighed. "I hope you broke somethin' other than his heart."

"I hope I did too. Let's get back to the task at hand, please."

Charles nodded as he climbed on Taima. "So, what are we doin' there? Up past Butcher Creek?"

"Lookin' for a new camp site. I doubt the law will come up there after us, at least not for a while."

"Yeah, I did some scouting up there while you were away," Charles said.

"And?" Arthur asked him.

"You'll see. I know the way. Follow me." Charles, Lilly and Arthur followed and Brian and James came in tow.

"We need to get this done fast. The Pinkertons will have reinforced in another day or two."

"Yes, the sooner we get out of here, the better. It's quite a ride up there. I saw some canoes near the bridge up river which would take us right up to Butcher Creek. Might be quicker. What do you think?"

"Yeah, a boat's probably a good idea."

"Okay, good."

"It's good to see you again, Charles," Arthur mentioned.

"Yes, it is, Charles," Lilly agreed.

"You too, both of you," Charles said.

"Thanks for what you did in Saint Denis, real brave drawin' 'em off us like that. I was worried you and Abigail had both got yourselves killed."

"I found a spot to lie low for a while then managed to get a ride with a wagon of workers headin' out to the fields. Abigail said she somehow managed to slip away when they grabbed Hosea."

"Speakin' of that, how did you manage to get away, Lilly?" Arthur asked her.

Lilly smirked. "I was wonderin' when you were gonna ask about that.

"Shite, we got company!" Lilly shouted. Hosea and Abigail hid behind the carriage as Lilly started shooting at Pinkertons. "We need to go warn the others! This is a trap!"

Hosea grunted and Lilly turned around. More Pinkertons had shown up and Milton held Hosea at gun point. Abigail was being put in shackles and Lilly raised her gun and aimed it at Agent Milton. "Lilly, get outta here!" Hosea shouted. "The carriage is gonna blow!"

"No! I won't let 'em take you!"

A Pinkerton grabbed her from behind but she elbowed him in the face. He fell over and Lilly turned to see the Pinkertons leaving with Hosea and Abigail. The carriage suddenly exploded and Lilly was knocked off her feet. She felt the wind knock out of her and she groaned. She had a loud ringing in her ears and couldn't make out what Hosea was yelling. Where was Abigail? Lilly slowly got up and shook her head. What a nightmare. Shit. She had to warn the others. Lilly found a ladder on a building and immediately began climbing it. As she got to the top she started running across rooftops and jumping, keeping an eye on Hosea and the Pinkertons. They stopped in front of the bank and Lilly pulled out her repeater.

"It's over! No more bargains! No more deals!" Milton shouted.

"Mr. Milton! This is America! You can always cut a deal!" she heard Dutch yell.

Crows started flying in and landed on buildings. "Shit, Adair?" Lilly backed up a little to brace herself for a jump. "I need you." This was the point where Hosea was supposed to die.

"I've given you enough chances!" Milton shouted.

"Shit! Milton, don't you do it!" Dutch shouted. "I will shoot a hostage if you kill him!"

Lilly ran to the ledge and jumped over just as light surrounded her, changing into Adair. When she landed in front of Hosea at the sound of a gunshot, a bullet hit her but it fell to the ground.

"Get into the building, Hosea," Adair commanded.

Arthur nodded his head in approval. "Heh heh heh, that's my girl."

Lilly smiled at him with a blush. "Oh stop."

In time, they found a canoe and Lilly grabbed her bow and repeater from Doc. Arthur argued that he should paddle with Charles considering how Lilly's strength would overlap Charles', so Lilly resentfully obliged him. She got to sit in the middle as the two rowed north. Brian and James followed on the banks of the river. Charles spoke about helping out in Wapiti, saying things were bad up there and Lilly felt awful about it. Then he mentioned that the Murfree Broods liked to hide out in caves, and Lilly confirmed this because, as she said before, she'd had run-ins with these folks.

"So you're thinkin' we should take over one of their caves?" Lilly asked Charles.

"Yes. Think we can do it?" Charles inquired.

"With us three and the wolves. Hell yeah we can!"

Charles laughed. "Good to see you in such good spirits again, Lilly."

She nodded. "Well, let's just say I feel optimistic about things now. Especially if I can buy a cow or a few goats."

Charles laughed again. "What? Why?"

"For Arthur's treatment."

Lilly explained to Charles about one of the books she bought and Charles nodded in agreement. "It's worth a shot. Don't you think so, Arthur?"

"Yes, but what if this Dr. Trudeau feller is just writin' falsehoods for money?"

"Then I'll go to his sanitorium and kill him," Lilly said casually.

Arthur wheezed out a laugh then he started hacking and coughing. Lilly turned around and grabbed his paddle. "Arthur, you okay?"

Arthur spit some phlegm into the water and inclined his head. "Yes, just a little bout of coughin', Lilly."

"You need your medicine?" Lilly asked.

"No, we better save those shots for when I really need 'em."

"Alright, but I'm gonna help row now and I won't use all my strength." Lilly started rowing with Charles and of course, the first time she managed to row them in a full circle with just one stroke. "Fuck."

Both the men laughed at her and she laughed with them.

By the time Lilly and the men "borrowed" some horses from Butcher's Creek and joined back up with Brian and James, it was night time. After following and killing some Murfree Brood members, they found a little spot called Beaver Hollow, a cave not that far from Annesburg. It was a place Charles had scoped out before. Unfortunately, the cave was inhabitated by what Lilly called "a pack of Broods" because they were little more than predatory animals. Charles pulled out his binoculars.

"Hmm, that's the stagecoach went missin'," he whispered.

He'd mentioned something before about a stagecoach from Annesburg going missing, along with plenty of people going missing in the area. This was nothing new to Lilly, of course. People disappeared around there all the time.

Arthur grabbed the binoculars to take a look. "Jesus..." he said in shock. "They must be in the cave."

Lilly took out her own binoculars and saw mutilates bodies. "Yep, typical Murfree Broods. It's their idea of decoratin'."

"Jesus, woman, don't nothin' surprise you?"

Lilly chuckled deeply. "You sure as shit did back up in Colter."

Charles snorted and turned his head away while Arthur merely shook his own at his wife. "Alright...let's get on with this."

"Okay, what you think?" Charles asked him. "We can head into the cave, or flush 'em out with dynamite."

Arthur took a moment before saying anything. "Let's surprise 'em in there."

"Okay," Charles said. "Let's get a little closer. Ready?"

Lilly smiled as they slunked nearer to the cave. "Game faces on, boys."

The wolves opened their jaws and bared their white fangs. The moonlight glistened off their teeth which made them look even more menacing. Their hackles went up and their muscles tensed as they slowly walked. Lilly pulled out her bow and notched three arrows. Charles pulled out a tomahawk and Arthur brought out a bow. Lilly nodded, making a face of approval. They crouched and closed in just as someone was coming out of the cave. Lilly let an arrow fly and it thunked into the man's skull. The five of them pushed forward into the entrance. Arthur got ahead and took out two men with one arrow. That highly impressed Lilly. The next two Broods spotted him though and raised the alarm before Arthur shot them both with his revolvers. Lilly heard a woman screaming.

"Someone's down there, she's alive!" Charles shouted.

They stood their ground as more enemies came running. "Boys, go get 'em!" Lilly demanded.

Brian and James charged forward and pounced on the first two that came through the narrow alcove ahead of them, and Lilly let two arrows go towards the next two that came up. They both hit their marks with a shoof and a thunk sound. Arthur and Charles attacked more and Lilly rearmed her bow as Brian took on another Brood member. James tackled one more and ripped out the throat. Lilly heard movement behind her and as she turned, a machete stabbed her just under her bosom. She screamed out, backed up, and yanked the machete out of her. Lilly's wound instantly began to heal and she sneered at the man who stared at her, wide eyed with fear and confusion. She hadn't thought a being such as him could feel fear.

Lilly pointed at him with a chuckle. "Now that was rude."

The man backed up a few steps and Lilly charged him, machete in hand. She ran him through with the weapon and pulled it out as he slunk to the cave floor. Lilly headed further in and watched as Arthur, Charles, and the wolves kept fighting the remaining Murfrees. There was still someone screaming further down and she saw a cage.

"You alright, Lilly?" Arthur shouted as he came to her. "I heard you scream."

"Oh, I'm fine, my love. Just, uh, got pricked by a prick, so I pricked him back."

Arthur examined her and saw the cut in her shirt. "Did he get the-"

"No, they're fine too," she cooed. "Ya see a cage down there? She was in my vision this mornin'."

Arthur chuckled and kissed her lips softly. "Charles, you see any more of 'em?" Arthur yelled out to him, turning away from his wife.

"Not for now. Come on, let's get that poor girl out of the cage," Charles yelled in response.

The three gang members and the wolves walked up to the cage to find the young blonde woman in it. "Stay away from me," she sobbed.

Arthur frowned and held up his hands. "It's okay, miss," he spoke softly.

"Please don't kill me!" she sobbed again.

"Just calm down. We ain't goin' to hurt you."

The girl stared at the wolves and Lilly sighed. "Brian, James, go stand guard, would ya?"

The boys turned and ran back towards the entrance. Lilly looked back at the girl. "It's alright, lass. No one's gonna hurt ya."

Arthur cut the ropes on the cage but the girl screamed again. She stood and backed up as Arthur opened the door. Lilly felt bad for the girl. "It's okay, it's okay, shh," Arthur said softly. Arthur embraced her as she sobbed more. "You're safe. It's okay."

It was morning, and after getting the girl named Meredith out of the cave, Arthur took her back to Annesburg while Charles left to go get the rest of the gang. Lilly stayed behind with her brothers to clean up, and when that was done, she sat on a box and started eating salted beef. Killing often made her hungry, as did dealing with the aftermath of it. The boys went off on their own, whether to go hunting or to lead the group in or what, she had no idea, so she was left on her own. Still, it didn't take long for Arthur to return with a sad look on his face.

"What's wrong, Arthur?" Lilly asked him.

He grunted as he sat down next to her. "I ran into Mrs. Downes. She looks awful."

"Mr. Downes was married?"

"Yes. Married with a son. Mrs. Downes is, uh, a prostitute now, I guess."

Lilly frowned. "Poor woman."

Arthur rubbed his face. "I think I deserve gettin' sick, Lilly."

Lilly put a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean?"

Arthur looked at her. "Me beatin' up Mr. Downes for the money he owed. He was gonna die anyway, but...I think this is my punishment for that."

Lilly squeezed his hand. "You hush up. You've beaten plenty of people up before. If this is anyone's bad karma, it's mine."

Arthur laughed at her. "I fail to see how you played a role in this."

"Because, Arthur..." Lilly bowed her head. "After Brian died, I, well...I killed a lot of people in his name. Some of them had families. Little kids. There was one in particular who begged for mercy. His wife, Greta, was pregnant. He wanted to see his child be born...but I wouldn't allow it. I killed him, left my mark on the wall, and went on to the next man to kill. Now you might die before these wee ones are born."

"Ah, honey, this ain't your fault. And it ain't Strauss's, neither. It's mine. I chose to beat that man."

Lilly nodded. "I know, but karma or not, it ain't fair. We done more good than bad, I like to think."

"You have. I don't know about me."

Lilly leaned her head on Arthur's shoulder. "You know I collected each newspaper clippin' of all my kills and kept 'em. Even after I came to live with yas, I kept 'em in a box in my dresser drawer."

"You did? Do you still have them?"

"No. I burned them."

"Why?" Arthur asked as he looked at her.

Lilly looked back at Arthur. "Because I found somethin' else to live for."

Arthur smiled and put an arm around her. "You deserve happiness, Lillian. Even if it means I ain't gonna be around to give it to you. Maybe you and Patrick should-"

Lilly put a finger to his lips. "Absolutely not. You remember that day when we went to rob that train up by Colter, after you told the men to not disrespect your woman?"

"Yes. That seems so long ago..."

"You said I was gonna be your last woman because-"

"Ain't no other woman gonna come close to you, I remember," he said. "And I meant every word of it, too."

"Well, ain't no other man gonna come close to you." She kissed his cheek. "And I will not have any other."