A whole week and nary a cough. Kid, at last, felt he could relax. He was clearly one of the lucky few who'd contracted consumption.
Mountains surrounded Tucson, no snow on their peaks despite it being December. Brush, cactus, and other prickly plants dotted the hills. As for the town itself, the adobe buildings were plentiful as was common in this region.
It took a couple tries to find someone who spoke English, but Kid Cole's reputation reached even here, though he had never been to this part of the territory, because his name was clearly words they recognized when they recognized nothing else.
"There is small house edge of town. Nobody uses it," their English speaker told them.
"Can we rent it for a time?" Kid asked.
"For you, Señor Cole? Free. I own it. There never can be too many men with guns in Tuscon. Never know when the Apache attack."
"Why thank you. We appreciate your kindness," Kid said.
The man pointed them in the right direction. The small house was really more of a hovel and a neglected one at that, but it was added protection against the elements and it was free.
Ruth certainly showed no sign of dismay. She only grabbed their broom and a bucket of water and went in to survey the neglect done to the inside.
She wasn't in there long before she screamed, "Kid!"
Her bloodcurdling scream made him think an Apache must have been laying in wait. He rushed in to find out. He sighed with relief when he saw her fright was only from a scorpion.
The scorpion didn't look any happier to have her invading what it clearly thought was its territory. It was probably wise she'd chosen to jump on the chair and since she was safely up on a rickety, old chair, he pulled out his gun out and shot the scorpion dead with one shot.
He went over and helped her down from the chair. "I should've known there'd be one or two hiding in here since it was abandoned. They're good for that. They especially like wood piles."
Her eyes widened at this piece of information and she backed her way to the door. "You saying there could be more of them in here?"
He did a quick check of the room to ease her mind. "It's all clear, but don't worry so much. They're most active at night and even if you do get stung by one, it won't kill you. It might kill a baby, but it shouldn't have enough venom for an adult. It's just enough to cause some not nice things to happen, which could be bad if you weren't healthy. But otherwise it's easily treated. It's the rattlers you got to worry about and the Apache."
"Thank you. That's very reassuring." She inched toward the dead scorpion. She shuddered upon closer inspection. "Rattlers may be worse but those are the nastiest critters I've ever laid eyes on. No wonder scorpions are mentioned in Revelation. Suddenly I understand that passage so much more."
"They ain't too pretty to look at, no."
"If a body wants a preview of hell, they need look no further then here: vicious, deadly creatures, thorny plants, and I'll just bet the heat around here matches up the with the description of that location in the summer."
He laughed. "It's different to be sure, but I wouldn't say this is the devil's land."
"No," she said, "but it's close, the fall is nowhere more evident than here. If that old serpent was going to totally occupy a piece of land, this would be where he'd pick."
He was still smiling as he said, "Thank you for agreeing to come. I know the wildlife around here's not your favorite."
"I know I'm complaining, but I don't really mind. We would've eventually worked our way this way. And our situation could be worse what with all them soldiers gathering in Texas. We had to come this far west to escape that. I pray though the fighting there's short or better yet a resolution is reached without bloodshed."
"I pray so too, but I don't think anyone's going to surrender too easily. Mexico ain't going to want to lose land and Texas badly wants its independence."
There wasn't much light in the day left, but Ruth made as much use of it as she could, attacking the floors with her broom and a vengeance. They'd have to spend another night in the wagon before it was clean enough to be habitable again, however. Kid worked on getting the horses settled and so was the first to spot the color change in the sky.
"Ruth, come look at this," he called into her.
It was one of the most breathtaking sunsets they had ever seen. The sky had taken on vivid, jeweled tones: red, violet, yellow, and orange. It was truly beautiful and a wonderful welcome.
"Okay, I admit it, Lord," Ruth said. "You are still sovereign even here."
Kid laughed and drew her close, kissing the now dusty top of her head.
sss
Ruth knew how to get a revival together with miraculous speed. Kid had seen her do it more times than he could count, but it still amazed him. The morning was spent finishing the cleaning and the afternoon was spent on the revival.
The attendees were mostly Hispanic, there was only one white family, which begged the question of whether they would be able to understand English, but Ruth didn't seem to be concerned when Kid brought it up. "They'll understand the spirit of worship. We still serve the same God after all."
She opened up with a hymn like always.
"My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name."
He joined her with his voice and guitar. The words took on new meaning to him in the light of all that had happened.
"On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil."
He was thankful that he was out of the darkness.
"On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, His blood
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay."
A gorgeous promise, he thought to himself.
Bodies got healed and souls were saved despite the language barrier, but Ruth was good with gestures and the man from yesterday had shown up and was translating to those who needed it.
It was a fine day weather-wise too and he felt overwhelmingly blessed as they packed to return to their temporary dwelling. He was married to the love of his life, he served a gracious God, and his health had been restored. What more could he want or ask for?
Ruth came around the corner of the wagon and he picked her up and spun her around. The joy at a new lease on life that spread through his being now found its way into a sound kiss.
"I'm not saying I don't like it, but what was that for? You ain't been nipping at the tonic again, have you?" she said it teasingly, but she did wonder what had gotten into him.
"Do I have to have a reason to kiss my wife? I just have a feeling that life is only going to get better for us from here on out."